On the other hand Gwen had never seen anything like the darkness and dirt of the town through which she was passing to Rachel's home. She grew silent as they drove through the streets. Rachel wondered what she was thinking of, and tried to distract her attention by questions about her mother and sister; but only received short answers and in an absent tone of voice. At last they reached number 8 Wentworth Road. "Is this it?" asked Gwen incredulously. "Yes. It is not pretty, but I have tried to make it nice inside; and have quite got to love it," answered Rachel. She was a little distressed at Gwen's tone of voice. When they had given directions to the cabman to leave the luggage a few doors further up, Rachel took her sister over the house, and they finally settled down by the drawing-room fire, as the evenings were beginning to get chilly; though they had not begun fires, Rachel was bent on having one on the day of Gwen's arrival. Gwen drew her chair up almost into the fender, and then clasping her hands behind her head said, "Now I will answer your questions properly about home. I really couldn't do so in that awful cab and passing through the town. What a place it is!" "I suppose it strikes you as very uninviting, but I have got so used to it that I hardly notice its deformities." "Well it is time that someone should come and spy out the land," said Gwen. "I am sure that Mother has no idea of your surroundings." Rachel laughed. "Well don't you go and make the worst of them to her," she said. "I have purposely not enlarged on the subject, as I did not wish to worry her. Besides, she would imagine that I was not happy, which would be very far from the truth. I would far rather live in an ugly dirty town with Luke than in the most beautiful country in the world without him. When you are a little older, Gwen, you will understand that." "No I shan't. No man in the world would make up to me for the country. I should simply die if I had to live here," she added, looking round the tiny room. "In fact I can't imagine a really unselfish man asking such a sacrifice from the girl he loves best in all the world." Rachel laughed merrily. Gwen had got on to her favourite theme, the selfishness of men. She was always harping on that subject, Rachel remembered, at Heathland. "Well, let us leave that and tell me of home," she said, as she was hungering for news. Then she suddenly drew Gwen's chair closer to her. "You dear little thing," she said, smoothing her hair tenderly. "How glad I am to have you. I'm afraid, however, that you have come because you have been troublesome at home. Is that so?" "I've come to spy out the land," answered Gwen with a mischievous smile; "and it's high time." "Don't be silly, tell me about Mother and Sybil." "Mother is a dear and lovely as ever. I wish I had not made her cry last week. I own I was horrid." "Oh Gwen! You don't know what it is to be without Mother."