do with them.
My wife says they are too much for her. Elizabeth has devoted herself to
poor little Jack (something sadly wrong with his spine, I'm afraid, Mr.
Stretton). Kitty--well, Kitty is only a child herself. The point
is--would it be a waste of your time, Mr. Stretton, to ask you to spend
a few weeks in this neighbourhood, and give these boys two or three
hours a day? We thought that you might find it worth your while."

Stretton was standing, with his shoulder against one of the vine-clad
posts that supported the verandah. Mr. Heron wondered at his
discomposure; for his colour changed from red to white and from white to
red as sensitively as a girl's, and it was with evident difficulty that
he brought himself to speak. But when he spoke the mystery seemed, in
Mr. Heron's eyes, to be partly solved.

"I had better mention one thing from the very first," said the young
man, quietly. "I have no references. I am afraid the lack of them will
be a fatal drawback with most people."

"No references!" stammered Mr. Heron, evidently much taken aback.
"But--my dear young friend--how do you propose to get a tutor's work
without them?"

"I don't know," said Stretton, with a smile in which a touch of
sternness made itself felt rather than seen. "I don't suppose that I
shall get very much work at all. But I hope to earn my bread in one way
or another."

"I--I--well, I really don't know what to say," remarked Mr. Heron,
getting up, and buttoning his yellow gloves reflectively. "I should have
no objection. I judge for myself, don't you know, by the face and the
manner and all that sort of thing; but it's a different thing when it
comes to dealing with women, you know. They are so particular----"

"I am afraid I should not suit Mrs. Heron's requirements," said
Stretton, in a very quiet tone.

"It isn't that exactly," said Mr. Heron, hesitating; "and yet--well, of
course, you know it isn't the usual thing to be met with the plain
statement that you have no references! Not that I might even have
thought of asking for them; ten to one that it would ever have occurred
to me--but my wife----. Come, you don't mean it literally? You have
friends in England, no doubt, but you don't want to apply to them."

"Excuse me, Mr. Heron; I spoke the literal truth. I have no references
to give either as to character, attainments, or birth. I have no
friends. And I agree with you and Mrs. Heron that I should not be a fit
person to teach yo