asked Netta if she would like him to offer up a few words of
thanksgiving for their reunion before he left her, and when she assented
they all knelt together in family prayer. Eight full years had passed
since Netta had so knelt before.

When Rowland had departed, Gladys asked Minette if she might put her to
bed. The child looked shyly at her at first, and then allowed her to
undress her, and to take her to the close, gloomy bedroom. It was so
late, and the child was so tired, that her little head drooped in sleep
even before she was undressed, and when Gladys laid her pale cheek on
the pillow she slept soundly at once. Then Gladys returned to the
sitting-room, and found Netta at the door listening.

'Hush! you had better go. I think he is coming,' she said.

Gladys withdrew for a moment, till the steps were no longer heard. As
long as Netta had been occupied with her brother and Gladys, she seemed
to have forgotten the passing sounds, but when left alone she listened
as before.

With some difficulty Gladys prevailed on her to go to bed. Mrs Jones had
given her night-lights, and a slight sleeping potion before she left
home, upon the chance of their being wanted; and she put one of the
former in the bedroom, and gave Netta the latter. She sat by her side
until she fell asleep, and then returned to the sitting-room, literally
'to watch and pray.'

CHAPTER XLI.

THE SISTER OF CHARITY.

The following morning, soon after eight o'clock, there arrived a basket
from Miss Gwynne, containing various meats and condiments that she
thought might be good for Netta and her child, and, above all, a nosegay
of Glanyravon flowers. Mr Gwynne had of late taken to send his daughter
baskets of game, poultry, and other country cheer, to which her
particular ally, the old gardener always added a tin of well-packed
flowers. These Miss Gwynne was in the habit of tending and treasuring,
as people in large cities alone can tend and treasure flowers, until
their last odour and colour departed, and these she now gladly
sacrificed to Netta.

It was an October morning, dull and misty. Gladys had kept up the fire,
and when Rowland's friend, Sarah, came to clean the room, she found that
her work had been done for her.

'Oh, Miss Gladys,' said the girl, 'why did you?'

'Never mind, Sarah, you get the breakfast things and boiling water, and
I will do the rest.'

Netta and her child slept late, and so heavily, that Gladys thought