a moment's
conversation in the hall when Mrs. Brand took her leave.

"My dear--my dear," said Mrs. Brand, taking the girl's hand in hers, "I
am so sorry, and I can't do anything to comfort you. Your father was
very kind to me when I was in great trouble, years ago. I shall never
forget his goodness. If there is anything I can ever do for you, you
must let me do it for his sake."

Janetta put up her face and kissed the woman to whom her father had been
"very kind." It comforted her to hear of his goodness once again. She
loved Mrs. Brand for appreciating it.

That little sentence or two did her more good than the long letters
which she was receiving every few days from Margaret, her chosen friend.
Margaret was sincerely grieved for Janetta's loss, and said many
consoling things in her sweet, tranquil, rather devotional way; but she
had not known Mr. Colwyn, and she could not say the words that Janetta's
heart was aching for--the words of praise and admiration of a nobly
unselfish life which alone could do Janetta any good. Yes, Margaret's
letters were distinctly unsatisfactory--not from want of feeling, but
from want of experience of life.

Graver necessities soon arose, however, than those of consolation in
grief. Mr. Colwyn had always been a poor man, and the sum for which he
had insured his life was only sufficient to pay his debts and funeral
expenses, and to leave a very small balance at his banker's. He had
bought the house in Gwynne Street in which he lived, and there was no
need, therefore, to seek for another home; and Mrs. Colwyn had fifty
pounds a year of her own, but of course it was necessary that the two
elder girls should do something for themselves. Nora obtained almost
immediately a post as under-teacher in a school not far from Beaminster,
and Georgie was taken in as a sort of governess-pupil, while Joe was
offered--chiefly out of consideration for his father's memory--a
clerkship in a mercantile house in the town, and was considered to be
well provided for. Curly, one of the younger boys, obtained a nomination
to a naval school in London. Thus only Mrs. Colwyn, Tiny, and "Jinks"
remained at home--with Janetta.

With Janetta!--That was the difficulty. What was Janetta to do? She
might probably with considerable ease have obtained a position as
resident governess in a family, but then she would have to be absent
from home altogether. And of late the Colwyns had found it best to
dispense with the m