ing in and laying them just beneath the works on one
of the squared pieces of oak to which the clock was screwed.

Ten minutes later he was at the rectory porch, where he hung up the keys
just inside the hall, and then trotted home with his hands in his
pockets to hide their colour.

He was obliged to show them in the kitchen though, where he went to beg
a jug of hot-water and some soda.

"Why, where have you been, sir?" cried Martha; "and the dinner kept
waiting a whole hour, and orders from your aunt to broil chicken for
your tea, as if there wasn't enough to do, and some soda? I haven't got
any."

"But you've got some, cookie," said Vane.

"Not a bit, if you speak to me in that disrespectful way, sir. My
name's Martha, if you please. Well, there's a bit, but how a young
gentleman can go on as you do making his hands like a sweep's I don't
know, and if I was your aunt I'd--"

Vane did not hear what, for he had hurried away with the hot-water and
soda, the odour of the kitchen having had a maddening effect upon him,
and set him thinking ravenously of the dinner he had missed and the
grilled chicken to come.

But there was no reproof for him when, clean and decent once more, he
sought the dining-room. Aunt Hannah shook her head, but smiled as she
made the tea, and kissed him as he went to her side.

"Why, Vane, my dear, you must be starving," she whispered. But his
uncle was deep in thought over some horticultural problem and did not
seem to have missed him. He roused up, though, over the evening meal,
while Vane was trying to hide his nails, which in spite of all his
efforts looked exceedingly black and like a smith's.

It was the appetising odour of the grilled chicken that roused the
doctor most, for after sipping his tea and partaking of one piece of
toast he gave a very loud sniff and began to look round the table.

Vane's plate and the dish before him at once took his attention.

"Meat tea?" he said smiling pleasantly. "Dear me! and I was under the
impression that we had had dinner just as usual. Come, Vane, my boy,
don't be greedy. Remember your aunt; and I'll take a little of that.
It smells very good."

"But, my dear, you had your dinner, and Vane was not there," cried Aunt
Hannah.

"Oh! bless my heart, yes," said the doctor. "Really I had quite
forgotten all about it."

"Hold your plate, uncle," cried Vane.

"Oh, no, thank you, my boy. It was all a mistake, I was thinking about
t