Helena

was headed "Middle Class Defence League," and was an appeal to whom it might concern to join the founders of the League in an attempt to curb the growing rapacity of the workin

asses that the greatne

Lord Buntingford ir

ankin; from its old books; and from a faded but enchanting piece of tapestry behind the cases of china, which seemed to represent a forest. The tapestry, which covered the whole of the end wall of the room, was faded and out of repair, but Lord Buntingford, who was a person of artistic sensibilities, was very fond of it, and had never been able t

imself, presently, as he went to a window and drew up a blind. "Ot

aces, and flights of stone steps, planned originally in the grand style, but now rather dilapidated and ill-kept

ounty-almost-in this beautiful England can produce. It was one of the first warm days of a belated spring. A fortnight before, park and hills and garden had been deep in snow. Now Nature, eager, and one might think ashamed, was rushing at he

his agent, go over his home farm, and settle what timber was to be cut before the Government commandeered it. He was not yet demobilized, as his naval uniform showed. There was a good deal of work still to do in his particular office, and he was more than willing to do it. But in a few months' time at any rate-he was just now taking a fortnight's leave-he would be once

situation was only too breathless. But for a man who, as soon as he had said Yes, was immediately seized with an insensate desire to look once mo

y by his estate, and by the miscellaneous crowd of people, returned soldiers and others, who seemed to wish to settle upon it. But to take the plunge seriously, to go in heart and soul for

which friendship and pity and weakness of will had lately led him to take upon himse

with a head and face that were striking rather than handsome-black curly hair just dusted with grey, a slight chronic frown, remarkable blue eyes and a short silky beard. H

ook at the books on the shelves. Generally, he did not take in what he was looking at, but in a moment less

n, on P

ten annoying to Lord Buntingford. It represented somehow an appeal to the sentiment of the spectator for which there was really no sufficient ground. Mrs. Mawson was not a widow, in spite of the Mrs. She was a well-paid and perfectl

dy for the two lad

We are expecting the

been ordered fo

my Lord,

Isn't tha

s outside. Lord Buntingford hurried

I must go a

g beside the driver. Mrs. Mawson looked after him. She wondered why his lordship was in such a flurry. "

of the porch. Her expectations had been modest; and that she would be welcomed by her employer in person on the doorstep of B

ate," she explained i

d. You are in quite good time. Miss Pitstone hasn't

e small and delicately built lady o

g a crime. "Not a big one-" she added hurriedly. "We had to leave

ngford. "Only one box and those bags?" he asked, sm

d by his kind voice and manner, Mrs. Friend trip

tingford. Mrs. Friend had still-like others-t

ich was hung with Frenc

faded Aubusson carpet,

ng pushed forward a se

able, and then th

pleasantly. "It'll be your function,

ich had a look of age and frailty as though generations of butlers had rubbed it to the bone, and

e long?" she ventured, when she had supplie

g at his watch. "Time enough for me to tell you

s smile put

rd, clasping h

It would be

der body. The face attracted him-its small neat featu

-if you found her a handf

ughed-a little

she very

ege. But her mother, who was a favourite cousin of mine, wished it. She died last autumn; and Helena promised her th

d I was to help her-in modern l

ord shrugged

e she's been properly educated in anything. Of course one can't expect a girl of nineteen to behave like a schoolgirl. If you can induce her to take up some serious reading-Oh, I don't mean anything tremendous!-and to keep up her mus

best-" began

t-well, we'd better be

very self-willed-and a

will be-quite c

rd Buntingford took o

t mind if

at

the gesture and the man with the forbidding figure of the old woman in Lancaster Gate with whom she had

arm-chair, and watched the curls of smoke

ng-strict chaperonage and that sort of business,"

going to teach. She went up just before the war. Then she left to do some war work, and now she's back again. She says nobody knows what to do with the girls. All the old rules have just-gone!" The ge

the wretched teachers and professors to teach-what their

wfully nice girls-mos

ttle, puzzled wri

standing on its head. Well!-as far as I can gather-I really know her very slightly-my little cousin Helena's in just the same sort of stage. All we people over forty might as well make our wills and have done with it. They'll soon discover some kind device for putting us out of the way. They've no use for us. And yet at the same time"-he flung his

in love with her." However, she got no further light on t

efore you were out of the first field-" His blue eyes smiled down upon the little stranger lady. "And you mustn't spy upon her. But if you're really in difficulties,

I'll stay here. C

ked rou

far end of the room-"will take you into the library. My great-grandfather's collection-not mine! And then one has ridiculous scruples about burning them! However, you'll find a few nice ones. Please make

Pitstone was ve

s exactly like Romney's Lady

nd took me there once." The tone was hesitating. The little lady was clearly not l

ey painted her forty or fifty times. We've got one ourselves-a sketch

an unfinished sketch of Lady Hamilton-one of the many Bacchante variants-the brown head bent

t?" asked Mrs. F

hed Lord Buntingford

ession. "I was a fool to come-a fool to accept!" she thought. The astonishing force of the sketch-of the creature sketched-intimidated her. If Helena Pitstone were really like that

igure-beside the other! No, she had no confidence in herself-none at all-she never had had. The people she had lived with had indeed generally been fond of her. It was beca

d through it, at the pleasant hall, with its old furniture, and its mellowed comfort. She wo

lf into the forest, and discovering an old castle in its depths. Then she noticed a portrait of an old man, labelled as by "Frank Holl, R. A.," hanging over the mantelpiece. She supposed it was the grandfather who had collected the

the chauffeur at her side, eagerly talking to him and pointing to something in the chassis. Mrs. Friend saw Lord Buntingford run down the steps to greet his ward. She gave him a smile and a left hand, and went on talking. Lord Buntingford stood by, twisting his moustache, till she had finished. Then t

Cousin Philip. He's spoiling

Have you been scold

interest." Lord Buntingford laughed.

ckle, very merry and musical, which brought an involuntary smile to her own e

Helena. She arrived

ed her hand. Mrs. Friend was conscious that the

beautiful head was set off by a khaki close cap, carrying a badge, and the khaki uniform, tunic, short skirt, and leggings, might have been speci

mother all the way from London. They made me play 'beasts' with them. I didn't mind that, because my roaring frightened them. But then they turned me into a fish, and fishe

id Lord Buntingford, laughing, as he handed

ply. Then she turn

treats me, Mrs. Friend. Ho

d meant it as a complime

w, alack, that she ha

f all to me. He has a most critical, fault

ghting another cigarette. "It won't take M

, please? When he came to see us, I always knew before he had been ten minutes in the room that my hair was coming down, or my shoes were untied, or som

you will have to put up with my remarks. I

murring, "if there are

in the depths of a big chair, and watching his ward with eyes of evident enjoym

e do-but he'll never let you." And, bending forward, with her cup in both hands, and her radiant eyes peering over the edge of it, she thr

t while guardian and ward plunged into a war of chaff in which first the ward, but ultimately the guardian, got

Lord Buntingford never allows one a single good mark. He says I have been i

and how many boys?" Helena first

lk down most of the boys. But Hampstead, Chelsea, and Curzon Street, all

ou set up t

w-fetching wounded soldiers from railway stations. And then somebody asked me to a dance, and I went. And next morning I just made up my mind that everything else in

figure of Miss Helena Pitstone, as, singing to herself, and absorbed apparently in some new and complicated steps, she danced down the wh

to me-before dinner? I

e people!" And with ano

d Mrs. Friend to the do

shoulders, walked to his writing

w by the train you name. Helena is here-very mad and very beaut

y," he thought, "with the other