_ caricature, so
that his feelings shouldn't be hurt. He tried to look solemn when I
gave it to him, but his lips twitched, and he walked straight out of the
room and took it with him. Next day, when he was abusing my drawing as
usual, he said, `You had better caricature your subjects at once. You
will make far more out of them in that way than in any other.' That was
quite a compliment coming from Pepper, and I've taken it to heart.
After much cogitation I have evolved an idea which, with Theo's
co-operation, I am going to put into action forthwith. I sha'n't tell
you what it is until I see how I succeed, but I don't mind confessing
that it is hardly high-class. We might call it the lowest rung of the
ladder."

"Be careful, deary. Don't do anything that you would be sorry for
afterwards. Promise me to be careful," pleaded the anxious housekeeper;
and Madge promised gaily, and carried Theo away into another room to
talk over the new idea without further delay.

Hope sat still, gazing into the fire with wistful eyes; and Philippa,
watching her anxiously, wondered, as she had often done of late, if it
were only the strain of money-making which had brought such sadness into
the sweet face. Hope had told her nothing of Ralph Merrilies; and
indeed there was little to tell, for, with the exception of two
occasions when she had met him at her uncle's house and exchanged a few
commonplace sentences, he had practically dropped out of her life since
the evening when he had offered his escort and had been treated with
such apparent rudeness in response. Hope had given over telling herself
that a fortnight's acquaintance could not possibly influence a lifetime,
for the impression was too strong to be reasoned away. The picture of
the strong, dark face was imprinted on her brain; in every moment of
leisure her thoughts drifted back to Ralph as the needle to the pole.
The longing to see him again was sometimes so strong as to be an actual
physical pain. Now, as she sat staring into the fire, she was reviewing
her life, telling herself that love was a thing forbidden, and pondering
on what remained, until, Philippa's fixed gaze attracting her attention,
she looked up with a flickering smile.

"I was thinking, Phil. Our talk has made me think. I have worked so
hard this last year, and the result is so poor--so unsatisfactory!" She
rose, and coming close to Philippa's side, took hold of her hand and
cried, with sudden