em, a subdued, uncanny little creature, who looks as
though the childhood were crushed out of her; you might take her in hand
too.'

'I wonder if Phoebe would like me to sing to her,' I observed quietly.
'I have found it answer sometimes in nervous illnesses.'

I thought my remark surprised him.

'It is a good idea,' he said slowly. 'You might try it. Of course it
would depend a great deal on the quality of voice and style of singing.
I wonder if you would allow me to judge of this,'--looking meaningly at
the piano; but I shook my head at this, and he did not press the point.

We had very little talk after this, for he went away almost directly,
first arranging to meet me at Mrs. Marshall's about four the next day and
go with me to Woodbine Cottage.

'You will find plenty of work, Miss Garston,' were his final words, 'so
do not waste your strength unnecessarily.' And then he left the room, but
came back a moment afterwards to say that his sisters meant to call on
me, only they thought I was hardly settled yet: 'we must get Mr. Cunliffe
to bring you up to Gladwyn: we must not let you mope.'

I thought there was little chance of this, with Uncle Max and Mr. Tudor
always looking after me. Mr. Hamilton had hardly closed the door before
Uncle Max opened it again.

'So the enemy has tasted bread and salt, Ursula,' he said, looking
excessively pleased: 'that is right, my dear: do not give way to absurd
prejudices. You and Hamilton will get on splendidly by and by, when you
get used to his brusque manner.' And, though I did not quite endorse this
opinion, I was obliged to acknowledge to myself that the last half-hour
had not been so unpleasant after all.

CHAPTER X

A DIFFICULT PATIENT

I had a little talk with granny the next day.

Mrs. Marshall was dozing uneasily, and I was sitting by granny, nursing
the baby, and waiting for Mr. Hamilton, when I felt her cold wrinkled
hand laid on mine.

'What is it, Elspeth?' I asked, thinking she wanted something.

'What put it in your head, my bairn, to do the Lord's work? that is what
I am wanting to know. I have been listening to you this morning singing
like a bird about the house, with all the bit creatures chirping about
you, and I said to myself, "What could have put it into her head to leave
all her fine friends, and come and wait on the likes of us old and sick
folk and young bairns?"'

I do not know what there was in this speech that made me cry, but I