your
property. It's only yours for life. It's my property."

The mother's mood changed in a moment.

"How do you know? You've never seen your father's will." She spoke in
harsh challenge.

"No; because you've never let me see it."

"You ought to have more confidence in your mother. Your father had. And
I'm trustee and executor." Mrs. Lessways was exceedingly jealous of her
legal position, whose importance she never forgot nor would consent to
minimize.

"That's all very well, for you," said Hilda; "but if the property isn't
managed right, I may find myself slaving when I'm your age, mother. And
whose fault will it be?... However, I shall--"

"You will what?"

"Nothing."

"I suppose her ladyship will be consulting her own lawyer next!" said
Mrs. Lessways bitterly.

They looked at each other. Hilda's face flushed to a sombre red. Mrs.
Lessways brusquely left the room. Then Hilda could hear her rattling
fussily at the kitchen range. After a few minutes Hilda followed her to
the kitchen, which was now nearly in darkness. The figure of Mrs.
Lessways, still doing nothing whatever with great vigour at the range,
was dimly visible. Hilda approached her, and awkwardly touched her
shoulder.

"Mother!" she demanded sharply; and she was astonished by her
awkwardness and her sharpness.

"Is that you?" her mother asked, in a queer, foolish tone.

They kissed. Such a candid peacemaking had never occurred between them
before. Mrs. Lessways, as simple in forgiveness as in wrath, did not
disguise her pleasure in the remarkable fact that it was Hilda who had
made the overture. Hilda thought: "How strange I am! What is coming over
me?" She glanced at the range, in which was a pale gleam of red, and
that gleam, in the heavy twilight, seemed to her to be inexpressibly,
enchantingly mournful. And she herself was mournful about the future--
very mournful. She saw no hope. Yet her sadness was beautiful to her.
And she was proud.

CHAPTER III
MR. CANNON

I

A little later Hilda came downstairs dressed to go out. Her mother was
lighting a glimmer of gas in the lobby. Ere Mrs. Lessways could descend
from her tiptoes to her heels and turn round Hilda said quickly,
forestalling curiosity:

"I'm going to get that thread you want. Just give me some money, will
you?"

Nobody could have guessed from her placid tone and indifferent demeanour
that she was in a state of extreme agitation. But so it was. Suddenly,
after ki