, it is one of his secretaries
who writes. It is from a real live marquess!--Lord Sutcombe. Of course,
you have heard of him?"

Mr. Clendon nodded affirmatively.

"He is well known."

"Though I had no hope of getting the situation, I sent some letters of
poor Mr. Bishop's as testimonials, and this morning--oh, it is almost
incredible--I received this letter, informing me that my testimonials
were satisfactory, and that I had obtained the post. And what do you
think it is? Oh, the most delightful of all work--the very thing I
would have chosen! It is to arrange, and catalogue, and generally take
care of a large library. And the salary--this is the most wonderful
part of the whole fairy tale--is to be L150 a year. Think of it!
One--hundred--and-fifty--pounds a year!"

"It is a very good salary," said Mr. Clendon. "I congratulate you."

She laid her hand on the wrinkled one which rested on his stick.

"But don't you think it is quite extraordinary? Surely one does not
usually get such a post as this so easily as I have done! There is a
kind of magic in it. You"--she looked at him keenly, searchingly--"Mr.
Clendon, have you had any hand in this?"

He looked up at her and shrugged his shoulders.

"Do you think it is likely that I consort with marquesses or have any
influence with them?" he asked, with a smile.

"Anyway, it is you who have brought me this great good luck," she said,
as gratefully as if he had admitted the truth. "You have been my mascot.
A very dear, generous mascot. But you will let me pay you back? But I am
almost ashamed to speak of payment, when no money could repay."

"Certainly you shall pay me, my dear young lady," he said, quietly. "I
am poor, and you are proud. But you will wait until you draw the first
instalment of your salary."

"No need," she exclaimed, triumphantly. "See here!" She held up a
cheque. "The Marquess--what a kind, good sort of man he must be!--has
sent me a cheque to pay my fare and other expenses."

Mr. Clendon took the cheque.

"I see it is an open one. The bank will pay you when you present it," he
remarked, in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yes, I am going presently. In the last letter he says that I can go
down to the place--Thexford Hall, it is called--as soon as I please;
and, of course, I shall start to-morrow. It is in Devonshire, and all my
life I've longed to see Devonshire. And now I'm to be _paid_ for going
there! Mr. Clendon, I have been living in a dream si