mpster, which
seemed far brighter than when I saw him at the office.

"Very, very glad to see you, my dear young friend," he cried, taking my
arm. "My wife and I have been looking forward to this day; she is very
eager to make your acquaintance."

To my surprise he led me back to the little house where the birds were
singing, and I could not help glancing at him wonderingly, for I had
fully expected to find him living in a state of poverty, whereas
everything looked neat and good and plain.

"Give me your hat," he said, as we stood in the passage. "That's right.
Now in here. Alexes, my dear, this is my young friend, Mr Gordon."

"I am very glad you have come," said a sweet, musical voice; and my hand
was taken by a graceful-looking lady, who must once have been very
beautiful. "You are hot and tired. Come and sit down here."

I felt hot and uncomfortable, everything was so different from what I
had expected; for the room was not in the least shabby, and the
tea-things placed ready added to the pleasant home-like aspect of the
place.

"You have not walked?" said Mr John Dempster.

"Oh, yes," I replied.

"From--where?"

I told him.

"Camberwell? And I was so unreasonable as to ask you to come all this
way."

I did not know how it was, but I somehow felt as if I had come to visit
some very old friends, and in quite a short time we were chatting
confidentially about our affairs. They soon knew all about my own home,
and my life since I left school so suddenly; and on my side I learned
that Mrs John Dempster had had a very serious illness, but was
recovering slowly, and that they were contemplating going abroad, the
doctors having said that she must not stay in our damp climate for
another winter.

I learned, too, that, as Mr John Dempster said, when things came to the
worst they improved. It had been so here, for the night after his visit
to his cousin in the city, a letter had come from Mrs John Dempster's
brother, who was in the North-west--wherever that might be--and their
temporary troubles were at an end.

That would have been a delightfully pleasant meal but for one thing. No
allusion was made to the visit to the city, and though I sat trembling,
for fear they should both begin to thank me for my offer, not a word was
said. The tea was simple. The flowers on the table and in the window
smelled sweetly, and the birds sang, while there was something about
Mrs John that fascinated me, and set