THE Wentworths contrived to find room for the Rayburns, and begged of them to stay as long as they conveniently could. Indeed, for some days Janet could hardly have travelled, but she soon regained her usual health and quiet cheerfulness. She and her husband, with Lily for their companion, made Fred show them every spot connected with the story of Frank's death, and his own life since then. Betty Giles's cottage, the very spot on the road where the child-hero at last stumbled and fell, were visited and revisited. But the mystery as to how the children had so quickly got so far away from Rugeley was never thoroughly solved. Fred had no remembrance of the long railway journey. The Rayburns were the more inclined to linger at Edgestone because they could not bring themselves to take Fred away from the kind friends who had long regarded him as their own son. But this difficulty was ended by a conversation between Mrs. Wentworth and Janet, one day when the rest had gone for a long walk, leaving them to keep each other company. They talked of various matters for some time. Then there was a short silence, broken by Mrs. Wentworth, who said— "Janet—I may call you Janet, may I not?—I want to ask you, if you don't mind, what you mean to do about Fred?" "Oh," said Janet, quickly, "he has not yet finished his studies. There is a fine opening for a doctor in Gattigo, but Fred is not a doctor yet." "Then we may keep him till he is a doctor. Is that what you mean?" "If you wish it. Of course, we would pay all his fees, or whatever expenses there are; but we could not bear to think that you, who have been so good to him—the truth is, Lucy, we have talked this over several times, and we cannot get further than this: he must stay in England to finish his studies." "That will be another year. When that year is over, Alick will not be sorry to leave Edgestone. I will speak to him, and I hope he will go out with Fred and settle in Gattigo." "But you?" Janet said softly. "I shall be at rest, my dear. It cannot last another year. Fred has made all the brightness poor Alick has had in his life since our boy died and my long illness began. It is only right that Fred should go out to you, but it would be hard on Alick to be left alone. I shall be happy about him now." "I am sure of one thing—Dr. Wentworth will be Fred's first thought," said Janet, earnestly. "And I am glad to know your wishes. My husband cannot be absent from Gattigo much longer, but this makes it possible to arrange matters." "Tell me, Janet—I know you wrote to that dreadful woman, Mr. Rayburn's stepmother—have you had an answer?" "No; but I hope she will write. Poor, unhappy woman!" "I hardly think she will. She must feel like a murderer." "She never intended to drive the children to such an act—they were so young that they did not understand. I think I hear them at the door. Yes, here they all come, my poor Lily looking so happy! The cousins at the Ferry Farm will be jealous."