d so pruned and
simplified the whole epistle that her mother failed to trace her own
handiwork: and at the last she added a postscript in her own pretty
handwriting.

Mrs. Challoner was rather dissatisfied with the whole thing.

"You have said so little, Nan! Mrs. Mayne will be quite affronted at
our reticence."

"What is the use of harrowing people's feelings?" was Nan's response.

It was quite true she had dwelt as little as possible on their
troubles.

The few opening sentences had related solely to their friends'
affairs.

"You will be sorry to hear," Mrs. Challoner wrote after this, "that I
have met with some severe losses. I dare say Mr. Mayne will remember
that my poor husband invested our little income in the business of his
cousin, Mark Gardiner. We have just heard the unwelcome news that
Gardiner & Fowler have failed for a large amount. Under these
circumstances, we think it more prudent to leave Glen Cottage as soon
as possible, and settle at Hadleigh, where we have a small house
belonging to us called the Friary. Fortunately for us, Mr. Trinder has
found us a tenant, who will take the remainder of the lease off our
hands. Do you remember Mr. Ralph Ibbetson, the Paines' cousin, that
rather heavy-looking young man, with reddish hair, who was engaged to
that pretty Miss Blake?--well, he has taken Glen Cottage; and I hope
you will find them nice neighbors. Tell Dick he must not be too sorry
to miss his old friends, but of course you will understand this is a
sad break to us. Settling down in a new place is never very pleasant;
and as my girls will have to help themselves, and we shall all have to
learn to do without things, it will be somewhat of a discipline to us;
but as long as we are together, we all feel, such difficulties can be
easily borne.

"Tell Mr. Mayne that, if I had foreseen how things were to turn out, I
would have conquered my indisposition, and not have forfeited my last
evening at Longmead."

And in the postscript Nan wrote hurriedly,--

"You must not be too sorry for us, dear Mrs. Mayne, for mother is as
brave as possible, and we are all determined to make the best of
things.

"Of course it is very sad leaving dear Glen Cottage, where we have
spent such happy, happy days; but, though the Friary is small, we
shall make it very comfortable. Tell Dick the garden is a perfect
wilderness at present, and that there are no roses,--only a splendid
passion-flower that covers the whole ba