"I'm thankful I don't," said Gwen energetically. "If Mother had seen this place before you married Luke she would never have let you come. By-the-bye, I suppose that funny little creature that opened the door for us is not Polly who you write about?" "Yes, she is Polly. We are great friends." "But she is not the only one?" "Of course she is. Why you don't suppose this tiny house requires more than one servant do you?" "But that minute specimen cannot do all that is needed by herself." "Of course not. I help her. Now don't be stupid Gwen; tell me some more about home." Gwen shut her mouth indicative of intense disapproval for a moment; then she began to talk of Heathland; and Rachel listening, could almost feel the wind blowing over the moors, and see the hedges just touched with hoarfrost in the morning. She pictured her Mother walking about the garden with her pretty soft shady hat which they all thought suited her so well, or lying on the cane sofa in the verandah speaking to the old gardener in her low musical voice. The vision of her was so vivid that the tears rushed into Rachel's eyes, and would have fallen had it not been for Gwen's presence. She was determined that the tiresome child should not have any excuse for supposing she was not as happy as a queen. It was at supper that Luke met the 'young person' as he called her, and had to confess to himself that he was more alarmed at her than she was of him. Gwen was afraid of no-one, specially of a mere man, as she had made up her mind that they were a set of selfish human beings who needed to be taught what was really required of them, and that one woman was worth ten men; specially such a woman as Rachel whom she loved devotedly. In fact the selfishness of Luke had chiefly consisted in her mind in taking her favourite sister away from her. She knew little but that about him, and though she had been sent away from home in order that a change might help her to get rid of her very tiresome mood, she preferred looking upon her visit to Rachel in the light of a spy. Was Luke worthy of her? Had he made her comfortable? Did he look well after her? These were the questions that she intended answering during her visit, and taking the answer back to her mother and sister. But she soon found that it would not do to make the object of her visit too plain to Rachel, as the latter showed signs of being vexed; and she might defeat her own plan. So when Luke came in to supper she was on her best behaviour, though at times she could not prevent her lips curling at one or two of his remarks. It seemed to her that he was wrapped up in his own interests and noticed nothing else. She did not realise the immense importance of his interests which were centred in his work. "We must try and give Gwen a little amusement," said Rachel next morning before her sister arrived for breakfast, "or we shan't keep her with us. Don't you think we could take her to the wood this afternoon?"