When I went down to breakfast I was surprised to find that the only person in the parlour was father. He was not eating; he was standing on the hearth-rug. His hair was ruffled up, but his face looked calmer than usual. He was evidently in one of those moods in which he could be approached. I had on, of course, my everyday school dress, and I must start almost immediately for school. I went up to him and took one of his long hands. "Father," I said, "may I ask you something?" He looked down at me with quite a gentle expression. "What is it my little Rachel wants?" "Father, have you got anywhere a picture of my mother?" He dropped my hands as though they hurt him. "You want it?" he said. "I should love to have it." "You have missed your mother's care?" "Yes." "If I--" He stopped. "Why do you stop?" I said. "You are just like Miss Donnithorne. She is always beginning sentences and stopping. But oh! please,"--for he seemed to be going off into one of his Demosthenes or Sophocles monologues--"please, if you have a picture of my mother, give it to me." For answer he went out of the room. He was gone two or three minutes. When he returned he put a little case into my hand. "You can keep it; it is yours now by every right. I treasured it. Understand that I have not forgotten her; but you can keep it. It is yours by every right." Before I could reply he had left the room. I heard him bang the door, and I heard Hannah's step on the stairs. I could not stand the thought of Hannah seeing the little case in my hands. She was the sort of woman who could be devoured by curiosity. This was more than I could bear. I flew to my room and put the dear little case into one of my drawers. I forbore to open it just then. My heart was warm and full of bliss. I possessed it; I would look at it to-night. It should lie in my arms when I slept; I could kiss it in the morning. It was next best to having mother to have a picture of mother. I was happy. A few minutes later I was on my way to school. There I met the Swan girls. They came up to me. "Well, well," they said, "how are you? How do you like her?" "What do you mean?" I said. "Why, all the world knows that you have been staying with Miss Donnithorne. Do tell us about her. We are dying with curiosity. It is no secret, you know." "What is no secret?" "Why, that you have been staying there," said Rita Swan, giving her sister a nudge at the moment. "I don't want it to be a secret," I said. "I have had a very happy time. I'll tell you about her and her nice house later on." "Oh dear! we are likely to know plenty of her in the near future," said Agnes. "But there's the bell; we must go in. Come along, Dumps. Why, to be sure, you do look smartened up! But you will be twice as smart as this in the future." PART ONE, CHAPTER NINE. THE PROFESSOR LEAVES HOME.