I saw them off from the railway station. The last glimpse I got of Hetty, she was sitting very close to her husband, and looking into his face. That poor young face of his looked worn and anxious enough, but Hetty knew nothing of the anxiety, and nothing of Jack's fall from the paths of honour;--to her he was a prince--the first of men. I sighed as I left the railway station. "Poor Jack!" I said to myself, "the path that lies before him will not be too easy to climb. Fancy having a little wife like Hetty to look after and support, and no means whatever to earn money for either of them. His character and chance of success practically gone. What is to be done with them both after their fortnight at Broadstairs is over?" I returned home that afternoon to my dear mother. It was mid-winter and bitterly cold. Christmas was come and gone, we were well into January; snow rested on the ground, and as I entered the cottage, I saw by the look of the sky that more was likely to fall. My mother welcomed me with just that degree of warmth which seemed to me the perfection of greeting. It consisted of very little in the way of embraces, scarcely anything in the shape of endearing words, but the expression in my mother's eyes told me all I wanted to know. She was very, very happy to have me back again; and as to me, I felt for the time being rested and satisfied. Why not? I was with the human being I loved best on earth. We had tea together, and then my mother began to speak. "You saw Jack off, poor fellow?" "Yes, mother," I answered; "I saw Jack and Hetty off." "Oh, Hetty," repeated my mother, with the faintest perceptible toss of her head. She had been very good about Hetty at first, but to have her coupled with Jack in this cool and easy manner gave her something of a shock. "Mother," I said with enthusiasm, "Jack had no right to marry any girl secretly, but as he did so we cannot be too thankful that he has taken this sweet little creature. She is as good as gold, mother, and as innocent as a little flower, and she thinks Jack perfection." "My dear," said my mother, "that's the right way; that's as it should be. Though every one, I fear," she added with a sigh, "cannot live up to it." "Hetty will," I said quickly, for I did not want my mother to have time to make unhappy comparisons even in her heart. "She has got an excellent husband," proceeded my mother. "Rose, I did not know there was half as much in Jack as I find there is. He surprised me wonderfully during his illness; he really is a very fine fellow." I was silent.