young man's ideal of what a girl should be), but
with a little quiet way of her own that was very nice. She must have no
end of a time of it with these youngsters! He spoke his thought aloud.
They were nearing Fernley, and he must leave her soon. "You must be
having some difficulty with those youngsters, Miss Montfort. If I could
help you any time, I wish you'd let me know. There have always been such
a lot of us at home, I'm used to most kinds of children, you see; and I
should be ever so glad--"

[Illustration: "'Won't you come in?'"]

"Oh, thank you!" said Margaret, gratefully. "I am sure you are very
kind; and if you would advise me sometimes--now that Uncle John is
away--I should be most grateful. But--I ought to be able to manage them
myself, it seems to me, without help. If I can only make them love me!"
She looked straight at Gerald, and her dark gray eyes were very
wistful in their unconscious appeal.

"I'd like to see 'em not!" said the young man, straightway. "Little
beggars! They couldn't help themselves!" He was about to add that he
would thrash them handsomely if they did not love her, but pulled
himself together, and blushed to his ears, and was only comforted by
seeing out of the tail of his eye that the girl was wholly unconscious
of his blushes. After all, there was some sense in freckles and sunburn.

But here they were now at the gates of Fernley. "Won't you come in?"
said Margaret. But Gerald, becoming once more conscious of his
working-clothes, which he had entirely forgotten, excused himself. If he
might come some evening soon? Yes, he might, and should. He lingered
still a moment, and Margaret, after a moment's shyness, held out her
hand frankly. "I am so glad to know you!" she said, simply. "Uncle
John--Mr. Montfort said I was to be good to you, and I will try."

"I'm sure you couldn't be anything else!" said Gerald, with fervour.
"Thanks, awfully, Miss Montfort. Good-bye!" Lifting his cap, the young
man turned away, feeling homesick, and yet cheerful. Passing round the
corner of the house, and finding himself well out of sight of the young
girl, he relieved his feelings by turning a handspring; and on coming to
his feet again, encountered the awful gaze of two greenish eyes, bent
upon him from an upper window of the house.

"Now I've done it!" said the youth, brushing himself, and assuming all
the dignity of which he was master. "Wonder who that is? Housekeeper,
perhaps? Quite the Gorgon