nd her superior with mystery.

"Oh!" murmured Janet, checked.

Hilda wondered furiously what she could be wanting with Mr. Cannon.

Janet recommenced: "It's really about Miss Gailey, you know."

"Yes--what?"

Hilda nodded eagerly, speaking in a tone still lower and more careful.

Janet dropped her voice accordingly: "She's Mr. Cannon's sister, of
course?"

"Half-sister."

"I mean. I've just come away from seeing her." She hesitated. "I only
heard by accident. So I came over with father. He had to come to a
meeting of the Guardians here, or something. They've quarrelled, haven't
they?"

"Who? Miss Gailey and Mr. Cannon? Well, you see, she quarrels with every
one." Hilda appeared to defend Mr. Cannon.

"I'm afraid she does, poor thing!"

"She quarrelled with mother."

"Really! when was that?"

"Oh! Years and years ago! I don't know when. I was always surprised
mother let me go to the class."

"It was very nice of your mother," said Janet, appreciative.

"Is she in trouble?" Hilda asked bluntly.

"I'm afraid she is."

"What?"

Janet suddenly gave a gesture of intimacy. "I believe she's starving!"

"Starving!" Hilda repeated in a blank whisper.

"Yes, I do! I do really believe she hasn't got enough to eat. She's
quarrelled with just about everybody there was to quarrel with. She
suffers fearfully with rheumatism. She never goes out--or scarcely
ever. You know her dancing-classes have all fallen away to nothing. I
fancy she tried taking lodgers--"

"Yes, she did. I understood she was very good at housekeeping."

"She hasn't got any lodgers now. There she is, all alone in that house,
and--"

"But she can't be _starving_!" Hilda protested. At intervals she glanced
at the inner door, alarmed.

"I really think she is," Janet persisted, softly persuasive.

"But what's to be done?"

"That's the point. I've just seen her. I went on purpose, because I'd
heard.... But I had to pretend all sorts of things to make an excuse for
myself. I couldn't offer her anything, could I? Isn't it dreadful?"

They were much worried, these two young maids, full of health and vigour
and faith, and pride and simplicity, by this startling first glimpse
into one of the nether realities of existence. And they loyally tried to
feel more worried than they actually were; they did their best, out of
sympathy, to moderate the leaping, joyous vitality that was in them,--
and did not succeed very well. They were fine, they wer