real," said Hilda. "I am as happy as it is
possible for a human being to be. Jasper--but I won't talk of him--you
know what I really think of him. Now let me show you my house. Isn't it
a sweet little home? Wasn't it good of Jasper to come here? He wanted a
flat, but when he saw that my heart was set on a little house, he took
this. Don't you like our taste in furniture, Milly? Oh, Milly dear, I
_am_ glad to see you. It is nice to look at one of the dear home-faces
again."

"Come and show me your house," said Mildred; "I am going to stay a long
time--all the afternoon, if possible."

"I am more than glad; you must remain to dinner. I will telegraph to
Jasper to come home early."

"I don't mind if I do," said Mildred. "I have no very special
engagements for this evening, and even if I had I should be disposed to
break them. It is not often one gets the chance of spending an hour in a
nest with two turtle-doves."

"Come, come," said Hilda, "that sounds as if you were laughing at us.
Now you shall see the house, and then we'll have tea together, and you
must tell me all about the old place."

The turtle-doves' nest was a very minute abode. There was only one
story, and the bed-rooms in consequence were small and few.

"Aren't we delightfully economical?" said Hilda, throwing open the door
of her own room. "Is not this wee chamber the perfection of snugness?
and this is Jasper's dressing room, and here is such a dear little
bath-room; and this is the spare-room (we have not furnished it yet, but
Jasper says we can't afford to have many visitors, so I'm not making any
special haste). And this is our servants'-room; I did not think when we
lived at Little Staunton that two servants could fit into such a tiny
closet, but these London girls seem quite to like it. Now, Mildred, come
downstairs. You have looked over this thimbleful of a house, and I hope
it has pleased you. Come downstairs and let us talk. I am starving for
news."

"Well, my dear, begin catechising to your heart's content," said
Mildred. She threw herself back into the easiest of the easy-chairs as
she spoke, and toasted her feet before Hilda's cheerful fire. "What do
you want to know first, Mrs. Quentyns?"

"How long is it since you left home--when did you see them all?"

"I was at home a fortnight ago, and I spent the greater part of one
afternoon at the Rectory."

"Oh, did you? Is it awfully changed?"

"No; the house is _in statu quo_. It looks j