-seeking which would ruin her disposition unless it
were checked in time; beautiful Lettice, longing for love and
admiration, and so fatally susceptible to a few flattering words; Norah,
with her exceptional talents, and daring, fearless spirit--how was he to
manage them all during the most critical years of their lives? "I must
speak to Helen Carr. Helen Carr will help me," he said to himself, and
sighed with relief at the thought of sharing his burden with the kind-
hearted friend of his youth.

It was nearly six o'clock when the travellers drove up to the door of
the white house in Kensington, and Miss Carr came into the hall to meet
them, looking far less altered by the lapse of years than did her young
visitor, who had developed from a delicate schoolgirl into a self-
possessed young lady of seventeen.

"And this is Hilary. Tut, tut! what do you mean by growing up in this
ridiculous manner, child?" Miss Carr pecked the girl's cheek with a
formal kiss, and turned to hold out both hands to Mr Bertrand.
"Austin! how good to see you again. This is a pleasure--a real
pleasure." There was no doubting the sincerity of the tone, which was
one of most affectionate welcome, and the plain old face beneath the
white cap was beaming with smiles. Miss Carr had been Austin Bertrand's
devoted friend from his youth onwards, one of the earliest believers in
his literary powers, and the most gratified by the fame which he had
gained. Hilary was left out in the cold for the next ten minutes, while
the old lady fussed round her father, inquiring anxiously if he were
cold, if he were tired, and pressing all manner of refreshments upon
him. Even over dinner itself she received scanty attention. She had
put on a pretty blue dress, with a drapery of lace over the shoulders,
arranged her hair in a style copied from the latest fashion book, and
snapped the gold bangles on her arms, with a result which seemed highly
satisfactory upstairs, but not quite so much so when she entered the
drawing-room, for Miss Carr put up her eye-glasses, stared at her
fixedly for several moments, and then delivered herself of an expressive
grunt. "Deary me! seventeen, are we! Don't be in too great a hurry to
grow up, my dear. The time will come when you will be only too thankful
to be young!"

At this rate Hilary began to feel that it was not uninterrupted bliss to
be in London, and this suspicion was deepened when at nine o'clock her
hostess loo