our, and the rector had promised to
take Elsie to a house in Park Lane. He shook hands heartily with the
knightly stranger, reminded Elsie of their engagement, and began to make
his way through the crowd to the door.

In the whirl and roar of Piccadilly he tried to say something about that
unexpected meeting, but part of his sentence was lost.

"----since he was a lad. Even now I can scarcely recall his name. My
memory begins to play strange tricks. Donald--no--Ronald. Ronald--what?
I can't get further than Ronald; my head is a trifle confused to-day.
Coming up from the country, you know. That's our 'bus, isn't it? All
right."

They went to Park Lane, but not another word was said about Ronald, and
on the following day Mr. Lennard returned to Sussex.

The summer advanced; Elsie accepted invitations now and then; but it
soon became evident to Miss Saxon that she did not care very much for
society.

She took a deep interest in all that concerned the welfare of children.
She went to public meetings and heard grand things spoken on their
behalf; she learnt what true, large-hearted men, with power, and
education, and opportunity, were doing for little ones in the world, and
all the while the thought of Jamie lay deep down in her heart. He was
never forgotten.

Nor did the Beatons forget him, but every effort to trace him had
failed.

They often talked of him with Elsie as they sat, all three, in the
little room behind the shop. Some subtle influence always seemed to draw
Miss Kilner's steps to Wardour Street, and her presence was welcome
there.

CHAPTER IX

_MEETINGS_

"Such a deal of wonder is broken out within this hour that
ballad-makers cannot be able to express it."--_A Winter's Tale._

Poor Mrs. Penn had a conscience. It had been lulled to sleep while she
lived an unwholesome life with Maria and her husband, and allowed
herself to be dominated by them. But the loss of Jamie and the visit to
Wardour Street had awakened her better nature and the feelings of a
happier time. She recalled Harold Waring's faithful words and Meta
Neale's gentle counsels, and remembered all the comfort and help which
she had found in Mrs. Beaton's friendship.

So powerfully did good emotions work within her that she suddenly
resolved to fly from Maria's companionship. The Dennetts were mortally
offended, but what did that matter? She wanted to go back to her old
haunts and be helped by the presence of those w