anet--nine years. We were both so
young, that I've forgotten too--in a sense." And then, as she saw that
the other was far more moved than she herself was outwardly, she
repeated: "It really has faded away, almost out of sight. Think of
all that has happened since then!"

The other muttered, "Yes, that's true," and Betty went on, a little
breathlessly, "I'll tell you who'll be pleased--that's Timmy. He's got a
regular hero-worship of Godfrey." She was smiling now. "I hope he asked
after his godson?"

"Indeed he did. After Flick too! By the way he wanted to know if Mrs.
Crofton was settled down in The Trellis House. I wonder if she's an
Australian?"

"I don't think so," said Betty. "I think he met them in Egypt during the
war. He mentioned them in one of his letters to Timmy, and then, when he
was in England last year, he must have stayed with them, for that's where
Flick came from. Colonel Crofton bred terriers. I remember reading Timmy
a long letter signed 'Cecil Crofton' telling him all about how to manage
Flick, and he mentioned Godfrey."

"I don't remember that--I must have been away."

They were both glad to have glided on to a safe, indifferent subject.

"I'll go back to my carnations now, but first I'd better tell your father
the news."

"You--you--needn't remind father of anything that happened years ago,
Janet--need you?"

Janet Tosswill shook her head, and yet when she had shut the door behind
her in her husband's study, almost the first words she uttered, after
having told him of Godfrey Radmore's coming visit, were:--"I shall never,
never forgive him for the way he treated Betty. I hate the thought of
having to be nice to him--I wish Timmy wasn't his godson!"

She spoke the words breathlessly, defiantly, standing before her old
John's untidy writing table.

As she spoke, he rather nervously turned some papers over under his
hand:--"I don't know that he behaved as badly as you think, my dear.
Neither of them had any money, and at that time he had no prospects."

"He'd thrown away his prospects! Then I can't forgive him for his
behaviour last year--never coming down to see us, I mean. It was so--so
ungrateful! Handsome presents don't make up for that sort of thing. I
used to long to send the things back."

"I don't think you're fair," began Mr. Tosswill deprecatingly. "He did
write me a very nice letter, Janet, explaining that it was impossible for
him to come."

"Well, I suppose we must make