ry work?'

'Well, it's our hope that they may be able to. Of course there's no
chance of their earning enough to live upon for some time. But the
matter stands like this. They have a trifling sum of money, on which,
at a pinch, they could live in London for perhaps a year and a half. In
that time they may find their way to a sort of income; at all events,
the chances are that a year and a half hence I shall be able to help
them to keep body and soul together.'

The money of which he spoke was the debt owed to their father by William
Milvain. In consequence of Mrs Milvain's pressing application, half of
this sum had at length been paid and the remainder was promised in a
year's time, greatly to Jasper's astonishment. In addition, there would
be the trifle realised by the sale of furniture, though most of this
might have to go in payment of rent unless the house could be relet
immediately.

'They have made a good beginning,' said Marian.

She spoke mechanically, for it was impossible to keep her thoughts under
control. If Maud and Dora came to live in London it might bring about
a most important change in her life; she could scarcely imagine the
happiness of having two such friends always near. On the other hand, how
would it be regarded by her father? She was at a loss amid conflicting
emotions.

'It's better than if they had done nothing at all,' Jasper replied to
her remark. 'And the way they knocked that trifle together promises
well. They did it very quickly, and in a far more workmanlike way than I
should have thought possible.'

'No doubt they share your own talent.'

'Perhaps so. Of course I know that I have talent of a kind, though
I don't rate it very high. We shall have to see whether they can do
anything more than mere booksellers' work; they are both very young,
you know. I think they may be able to write something that'll do for The
English Girl, and no doubt I can hit upon a second idea that will appeal
to Jolly and Monk. At all events, they'll have books within reach, and
better opportunities every way than at Finden.'

'How do their friends in the country think of it?'

'Very dubiously; but then what else was to be expected? Of course, the
respectable and intelligible path marked out for both of them points
to a lifetime of governessing. But the girls have no relish for that;
they'd rather do almost anything. We talked over all the aspects of the
situation seriously enough--it is desperately se