"You might have seen me over an hour ago if you’d a’ chose. Well, now you must run back home before it gets dark. I can’t let you wait for me to take you, there’s all them dinner things to wash up. How hot you are child! Mind you don’t catch cold, and school beginning next week." Jane-Anne looked wistfully at the sizzling cutlets in the frying-pan. She had started off before her tea and was very hungry. Her aunt had turned again to the range and was absorbed in lifting her cutlets out one by one and setting them to drain on a dish covered with white paper. As she carefully placed the last one, she turned and saw the flushed, wistful little face under the shadow of the inverted pie-dish. "There, child," she said impatiently, "don’t dawdle, it’s late enough as it is, and Miss Morecraft ’ll be in a fine taking where you can have got to." "Good-night, Aunt Martha," Jane-Anne said obediently, and held up her face to be kissed. Mrs. Dew stooped and kissed the child with great kindness and felt in the pocket of her skirt. "You buy a cake for your supper," she said, pressing a penny into Jane-Anne’s hand, "on your way back. I can’t give you anything here for the food’s not mine, and to take my employer’s victuals is what I never have done nor never will." Jane-Anne flung her arms round her aunt’s neck. "I do love you, Aunt Martha," she whispered chokily. "There, there, do get home, and remember that if so be as I’m out when you call, you’re to go away again and not come in as bold as brass as if you was a friend of the family—playing with the young gentlemen and all. Folks ought to keep to their proper stations." "But he asked me to come and play," Jane-Anne expostulated. "Law bless you, Master Edmund’d ask in a tramp off the road, he’s that full of caddle. Now look sharp, child, and get home." Jane-Anne let herself out at the side-door and went through under the archway into the street. It was quite deserted, and as she passed the dining-room window she stopped, and pressing her face against the glass, looked in. The electric light above the table had a rose-coloured shade and filled the room with a warm, soft light. A bright fire was burning on the hearth, for the evenings were still cold and a shrewd wind blew down the empty street. To Jane-Anne, shivering now after being much too hot, the room looked inexpressibly comfortable and cheery.