In fact, he wanted to make hay while the sun shone, and to detain Mr Farquhar a little longer, now that Jemima was so gracious. She went upstairs with Ruth to help her to put on her things. "Dear Jemima!" said Ruth, "I am so glad to see you looking better to-night! You quite frightened me this morning, you looked so ill." "Did I?" replied Jemima. "Oh, Ruth! I have been so unhappy lately. I want you to come and put me to rights," she continued, half smiling. "You know I'm a sort of out-pupil of yours, though we are so nearly of an age. You ought to lecture me, and make me good." "Should I, dear?" said Ruth. "I don't think I'm the one to do it." "Oh, yes! you are--you've done me good to-night." "Well, if I can do anything for you, tell me what it is?" asked Ruth, tenderly. "Oh, not now--not now," replied Jemima. "I could not tell you here. It's a long story, and I don't know that I can tell you at all. Mamma might come up at any moment, and papa would be sure to ask what we had been talking about so long." "Take your own time, love," said Ruth; "only remember, as far as I can, how glad I am to help you." "You're too good, my darling!" said Jemima, fondly. "Don't say so," replied Ruth, earnestly, almost as if she were afraid. "God knows I am not." "Well! we're none of us too good," answered Jemima; "I know that. But you _are_ very good. Nay, I won't call you so, if it makes you look so miserable. But come away downstairs." With the fragrance of Ruth's sweetness lingering about her, Jemima was her best self during the next half-hour. Mr Bradshaw was more and more pleased, and raised the price of the silk, which he was going to give Ruth, sixpence a yard during the time. Mr Farquhar went home through the garden-way, happier than he had been this long time. He even caught himself humming the old refrain: On revient, on revient toujours, A ses premiers amours. But as soon as he was aware of what he was doing, he cleared away the remnants of the song into a cough, which was sonorous, if not perfectly real. CHAPTER XXI Mr Farquhar's Attentions Transferred The next morning, as Jemima and her mother sat at their work, it came into the head of the former to remember her father's very marked way of thanking Ruth the evening before. "What a favourite Mrs Denbigh is with papa," said she. "I am sure I don't wonder at it. Did you notice, mamma, how he thanked her for coming here last night?" "Yes, dear; but I don't think it was all--" Mrs Bradshaw stopped short. She was never certain if it was right or wrong to say anything. "Not all what?" asked Jemima, when she saw her mother was not going to finish the sentence. "Not all because Mrs Denbigh came to tea here," replied Mrs Bradshaw. "Why, what else could he be thanking her for? What has she done?" asked Jemima, stimulated to curiosity by her mother's hesitating manner. "I don't know if I ought to tell you," said Mrs Bradshaw. "Oh, very well!" said Jemima, rather annoyed.