r immediately beneath.

"We've been looking for you everywhere," Helen burst out. "Oh, Mrs.
Prockter, do come with me to the end of the corridor, and look at three
old distaffs that I've found in a cupboard!"

During the absence of the women, James Ollerenshaw contradicted himself
to Emanuel for the sweet sake of Emanuel's stepmother. Little by little
they descended to the earth, with continual detours and halts by Helen,
who was several times lost and found.

"I've told him," said James, quietly and proudly. "I've told him it's no
use to you unless you want to turn it into a building estate."

They separated into two couples at the gate, with elaborate formalities
on the part of Emanuel, which Uncle James more or less tried to imitate.

"Well?" murmured James, sighing relief, as they waited for the electric
tram in that umbrageous and aristocratic portion of the Oldcastle-road
which lies nearest to the portals of Wilbraham Hall. He was very pleased
with himself, because, at the cost of his own respect, he had pleased
Mrs. Prockter.

"Well?" murmured Helen, in response, tapping on the edge of the pavement
the very same sunshade in whose company James had first made her
acquaintance. She seemed nervous, hesitating, apprehensive.

"What about that house as ye've so kindly chosen for me?" he asked,
genially. He wanted to humour her.

She looked him straight in the eyes. "You've seen it," said she.

"What!" he snorted. "When han I seen it?"

"Just now," she replied. "It's Wilbraham Hall. I knew that Mrs. Prockter
wouldn't have it. And, besides, I've made Emanuel give up all idea of
it."

He laughed, but with a strange and awful sensation in his stomach.

"A poor joke, lass!" he observed, with the laugh dead in his throat.

"It isn't a poor joke," said she. "It isn't a joke at all."

"Didst thou seriously think as I should buy that there barracks to
please thee?"

"Certainly," she said, courageously. "Just that--to please me."

"I'm right enough where I am," he asserted, grimly. "What for should I
buy Wilbraham Hall? What should I do in it?"

"Live in it."

"Trafalgar-road's good enough for me."

"But it isn't good enough for me," said she.

"I wouldna' ha' minded," he said, savagely--"I wouldna' ha' minded going
into a house a bit bigger, but--"

"Nothing is big enough for me except Wilbraham Hall," she said.

He said nothing. He was furious. It was her birthday, and he had given
her six-and-twent