to be rapt
from it by any fantasy, nor beguiled by any dream, they paid only in a
high morality their debt to the intangible.

This afternoon, in spite of themselves, they were roused somewhat from
the peace they sat in. They were expecting somebody.

"I suppose, when she arrives, we shall all have to sit at the lady's
feet," said Mrs. Levine.

"_I_'ve no objection," said the Doctor; "after what she's done."

"It was pretty decent of her," said Levine. He was dark, nervous and
solemn-eyed, a lean man of his race, and handsome. Sophy Brodrick had
not loved her husband when she married him. She adored him now, because
of the beauty that had passed from him into her children.

"I say, Uncle Louis, you _might_ tell me what she _did_ do," said Eddy
Heron.

"She got your Uncle Hughy out of a tight place, my boy."

"I say, what's _he_ been doing?"

Mr. Levine smiled inscrutably, while his wife shook her head at him.

"He's been going it, has he? Good old Uncle Hughy!"

Eddy's mother thought it would be nice if he and Winny went down the
Heath road to meet Uncle Hughy and Miss Holland. Whereupon Eddy embraced
his mother, being unable to agree with her.

"You really believe," said Mr. John Brodrick, who seemed anxious to be
sure of his facts before he committed himself, "you really believe that
if it had not been for this lady he'd have had to give it up?"

"Well," said Levine judicially, "she practically saved it. You see he
_would_ start it with George Tanqueray. And who cares about George
Tanqueray? That's what wrecked him. I told him at the time it was sheer
lunacy, but he wouldn't listen to me. _Why_" (Levine spoke in a small
excited voice with sudden high notes), "he hadn't subscriptions enough
to float the thing for twenty-four hours. As soon as he gets Miss
Holland they go up by leaps and bounds, and it's bin goin' steady ever
since. How long it'll keep goin's another thing."

"I understood Hugh to say," said John, "that the arrangements involved
some considerable sacrifice to the lady."

"Well, you see, he'd been a bit of an ass. He'd made her a ridiculous
offer, an offer _we_ simply couldn't afford, and we had to tell her so."

"And then," said Sophy, "you might as well mention that she gave it him
for what you _could_ afford."

"She certainly let him have it very cheap." He ruminated. "Uncommonly
cheap--considering what her figure is."

Eddy wanted to know what Miss Holland's figure had to do with