Mrs Moore gave one patient sigh. "Would you like to take your jacket off?" she said. I hastily removed it. She began to pour boiling water into the teapot. The little room was very neat and clean, and there was quite a cosy, appetising tea spread on the board. "I have heard a great deal about your father, my dear," said Mrs Moore after a pause. "And now I also hear about you. I am glad to welcome you here. You are Augusta's special friend, are you not?" "Oh, I know her very well," I said. "She told me to-day at dinner that you wished to be a chum of hers. She said she was willing. I felt quite relieved, for I think it would be very good for Augusta to have a sort of human influence; she needs human influence so badly." "But can't she get it, Mrs Moore?" I asked. "Surely it is all round her?" "Well, dear, the fact is, she always stays amongst the dry bones; that's what I call that terrible sort of learning which she so clings to. Not a word when she comes out, my love. I assure you it is quite a comfort to confide in you." She motioned to me to draw my chair to the table. I sat down. "You look quite an interesting person," said Mrs Moore. "Oh no, I am not at all interesting," I replied. "Here is a cup of tea, love." She handed me one. "Ought I not," I said, "to wait for Augusta?" "Dear me, no! on no account. She will probably not come in at all. Doubtless by now she has forgotten that you are in the house." I could not help laughing. "But doesn't she ever eat?" "I bring her her food. She takes it then without knowing what she is taking. She is a very strange child." "Well," I said as I helped myself to a very nice piece of hot cake, "I don't think I should have got her here to-day without pinching and poking her. She took me quite a long way round. I believe," I added, "that I shall not be able to get back, for I don't know this part of London well." "I will take you to the Twopenny Tube myself, dear. Don't imagine for a single instant that you will see anything more of Augusta." When I discovered that this was really the case I gave myself up to the enjoyment of Mrs Moore's pleasant society. She was a very nice woman, not at all commonplace--at least, if that meant commonplace, it was a very good thing to be. She was practical, and had a great deal of sense. She talked to me about my life, and about my father, and said she wished we lived a little nearer. "You must sadly want a lady friend, my dear," she said. Then she stared at me very hard, and I saw a curious change come over her face. "Perhaps you will have one in the future," was her next remark. "Oh yes," I answered briskly, "I have one now--a most dear, sweet lady. She came to see me quite a short time ago, and I went to stay with her last Saturday, and came home only last night. I love her dearly; her name is Miss Grace Donnithorne."