ow you. I think it very
necessary that each member of a family should if possible have a
sanctum, a private uninvaded domain--but in this room the separate
strains unite."

Maud was sitting near the window when the two came in. She got up and
came quickly forward, with a smile, and shook hands with Howard. She
had just the same look of virginal freshness and sweetness in the
morning light--a little less mysterious, perhaps; but there came upon
Howard a strange feeling, partly of intense admiration, partly a sort
of half-jealousy that he should know so little of the girl's past, and
a half-terror of all other influences and relations in the unknown
background of her life. He wanted to know whom and what she cared
about, what her hopes were, what her thoughts rested upon and concerned
themselves with. He had never felt any such emotion before, and it was
not wholly agreeable to him. He felt thrown off his balance, interfered
with, diverted from his normal course. He wanted to do and say
something which could claim her attention and confidence; and the frank
and almost sisterly regard she gave him was not wholly to his mind.
This was mingled, too, with a certain fear of he knew not what; he
feared her criticism, her disapproval; he felt his own dulness and
inelasticity. He seemed to himself empty, heavy, awkward, disconcerted
by her quiet and expectant gaze. This came and went like a flash, and
gave him an almost physical uneasiness.

"Well, here we are," said the Vicar. "I must say this is very
comfortable--a sort of family council, with matters of importance to
discuss." Maud led the way to the dining-room. "I said we would have
everything put on the table," said the Vicar, "and wait on ourselves;
that will leave us quite free to talk. It's not a lack of any respect,
Howard--quite the contrary; but these honest people down here pick up
all sorts of gossip--in a quiet life, you know, a little gossip goes a
long way; and even my good maids are human--I should be so in their
place! Howard, a bit of this chicken--our own chickens, our own
vegetables, our country cider--everything home-grown; and now to
business, and we will settle Master Jack in a turn. My own belief is,
in choosing a profession, to think of all possibilities and eliminate
them one by one."

"Yes," said Howard, "but we are met by this initial difficulty; that
one might settle a dozen professions for Jack, and there is not the
smallest guarantee that he w