n the child itself. If he disobeys you under his father's
licence, you cannot make much of it. You have him a good deal to
yourself?'

'Yes.'

'Then make use of that time to strengthen his principles and sense of
right and wrong, as well as to secure his affections. My dear, I never
saw a girl in a more difficult position than yours, but I see you are
doing your utmost; only I am afraid the love of sedatives is the same.'

'Oh aunt, I did think he had given it up!'

'You are inexperienced, my dear. I see it in his eyes. Well, I'm
afraid there is no stopping that.'

'Mother--' and Nuttie's voice was choked.

'She did her best, but you have not the same opportunities. It can't
be helped with a man of that age. Mark might have done something, but
he is out of the question now, poor fellow!'

'Indeed, Aunt Jane, I think Mark and Annaple are some of the happiest
people I ever saw. I only wish my poor Alwyn were as forward as their
Billy, but I'm not even allowed to teach him his letters, because once
he cried over them.'

'I wish they had anything to fall back upon,' said Mrs. Egremont
anxiously. 'They are so unwilling to let any one know of their
difficulties that I feel as if I never knew in what straits they may
be. You will be sure to let me know, Ursula, if there is anything that
I can do for them.'

That conversation was a great comfort and help to Nuttie, who was
pleased to find herself treated as a real friend by her aunt, and
perceived the wisdom of her advice. But the watching over the Mark
Egremonts was a very difficult matter to accomplish, for when she went
back to London she was warned that Billy had the whooping cough,
rendering them unapproachable all the winter, so that she could only
hear of them through Mr. Dutton, whom she continued to see occasionally
whenever there was anything to communicate. Mr. Egremont rather liked
him, and on meeting him in the street, would ask him casually in to
dinner, or to make up a rubber, or play piquet, for he excelled in
these arts, and still more in chess, and an evening with Mr. Dutton was
quite a red-letter time with Nuttie. It gave her an indefinable sense
of safety and protection; but it was not always to be had, for her
friend had many engagements, being one of the active lay church
workers, and devoting two regular evenings in each week to Gerard
Godfrey's eastern district, where he kept all the accounts, had a model
court and evening class,