the stranger's grace and charm, was inclined to
reserve his judgment. The three girls found her very engaging, and their
step-mother, if more critical, was quite ready to like her. As is often
the case with people who only care for those near and dear to them, the
world of men and women outside Janet Tosswill's own circle interested
her scarcely at all. She would make up her mind as to what any given
individual was like, and then dismiss him or her once for all from her
busy, over-burdened mind.

One thing, however, both Janet and the three girls did notice--that was
the way their new acquaintance was dressed. Her black frock was not only
becoming, but had that indefinable look which implies thought, care, and
cost--especially cost. All four ladies decided immediately that Mrs.
Crofton must be much better off than she had implied in the letter she
had written to Mr. Tosswill some weeks ago.

Timmy, alone of them all, on that first evening, felt strongly about
their visitor. Already he was jealous of the pretty, pathetic-looking
young widow. It irritated him to think that she was a friend of his
godfather.

After they had all gone into the dining-room, and had sorted themselves
out, the guest being seated on her host's right, with Jack on the other
side of her, Janet announced: "This is supper, not dinner, Mrs. Crofton.
I hope you don't mind lobster? When I first came to Old Place, almost the
first thing I learnt was that it was celebrated for its lobster pie!
Since the War we have not been able to afford lobsters, but a kind friend
sent us six from Littlehampton yesterday, so I at once thought of our
dear old lobster pie!"

Mrs. Crofton declared that, far from minding, she adored lobsters! And
then after she had been served, Timmy's fears were set at rest, for his
mother, very improperly the rest of the family thought, served him next,
and to a generous helping.

As the meal went on, the mistress of Old Place realised that she had made
one mistake about Mrs. Crofton; their visitor was far more intelligent,
though in a mean, rather narrow way, than she had at first supposed.
Also, Mrs. Crofton was certainly very attractive. As the talk turned to
London doings, his step-mother was amused to notice that Jack was becoming
interested in their guest, and eagerly discussed with her a play they had
both seen.

And the visitor herself? During supper she began to feel most pleasantly
at home, and when she walked into the l