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"What would you have done," Mountjoy inquired, "if Rhoda had been

strong enough to get to the end of the journey?"

"I should have gone on to London, and taken refuge in a lodging--you

were in town, as I believed, and ht relent in time As it

was, I felt my lonely position keenly To meet with kind people, like

Mr Vi to such a friendless

creature as I a better every day I should like you to see Mrs Vimpany, if she

is at home She is a little formal and old fashioned in her manner--but

I am sure you will be pleased with her Ah! you look round the room!

They are poor, miserably poor for persons in their position, these

worthy friends ofthem to let me contribute my share towards the household

expenses They only yielded when I threatened to go to the inn You are

looking very serious, Hugh Is it possible that you see so-room door was softly opened, at the moment when Iris put

that question A lady appeared on the threshold Seeing the stranger,

she turned to Iris

"I didn't know, dear Miss Henley, that you had a visitor Pray pardon

my intrusion"

The voice was deep; the articulation was clear; the save it a value of its own This was a

woy worth

listening to Iris stopped her as she was about to leave the roo for you," she said "Let h, this is the lady who has been so kind to h's impulse, under the circumstances, was to dispense with the

formality of a bow, and to shake hands Mrs Vimpany met this friendly

advance with a suavity of action, not often seen in these days of

movement without ceree