g over her
and put on a gaiety that she was far from feeling. A very bitter sense
of self-contempt was just then at work in her heart; she felt that never
before had she despised herself so utterly. She took her hat in her
hand, and put her arm within the Major's and walked with him round his
little demesne. It was a walk that took up an hour or more, for there
was much to see and learn, and Janet was bent this morning on having a
long lesson in botany; and the old soldier was only too happy in having
secured a listener so enthusiastic and appreciative to whom he could
dilate on his favourite hobby.

But all this time Janet's eyes and ears were on the alert in a double
sense of which the Major knew nothing. He was busy with a description of
the last spring flower show, and how the Duke of Cheltenham's auriculas
were by no means equal to those of Major Strickland, when Janet gave a
little start as though a gnat had stung her, and bent to smell a sweet
blush-rose, whose tints were rivalled by the sudden delicate glow that
flushed her cheek.

"Yes, yes!" she said, hurriedly, as the Major paused for a moment; "and
so the Duke's gardener was jealous because you carried away the prize?"

"I never saw a man more put out in my life," said the Major. "He shook
his fist at my flowers and said before everybody, 'Let the old Major
only wait till autumn and then see if my dahlias don't--' But yonder
comes Geordie. Bless my heart! what has he been doing at Eastbury all
this time?"

Janet's instinct had not deceived her; she had heard and recognised his
footstep a full minute before the Major knew that he was near. She gave
one quick, shy glance round as he opened the gate, and then she wandered
a yard or two further down the path.

"Good-morning, uncle," said Captain George, as he came up. "You set out
for Deepley Walls so early this morning that I did not see you before
you started. I am glad to find that you did not come back alone."

Janet had turned as he began to speak, but did not come back to the
Major's side. Captain George advanced a few steps and lifted his hat.

"Good-morning, Miss Hope," he said, with outstretched hand. "I need
hardly say how pleased I am to see you at the Lindens. My uncle has
succeeded so well on his first embassy that we must send him again, and
often, on the same errand."

Janet murmured a few words in reply--what, she could not afterwards have
told; but as her eyes met his for a moment, she