"I speak openly to you," said Clara; "but I am reticent about all this with other people. Pray believe that." Mrs. Dobbs did believe it. Clara seemed to have become intimate with them all at once. "May I come again?" asked the young singer as she took her leave. "May you come! _Will_ you come? I didn't ask you, because, when a person generously gives me one pearl of price, it is not my way to snatch at the whole string. Your time is precious; your voice is precious." "Dear Mrs. Dobbs, your kindness is precious. Not that I am ungrateful for the kindness bestowed on me by--other people; but there is such a delightful feeling of homeliness here. And then, although you have praised me too much, I must say that you and Mr. Weatherhead are good judges of music." "Well, I won't go so far as to deny that you _might_ strew your pearls before certain animals who would value them less," replied Mrs. Dobbs. As for Jo Weatherhead, he became so enthusiastic in Miss Bertram's praises behind her back, that Mrs. Dobbs laughingly declared he was in love with her. And perhaps he was, a little. Many more such humble innocent "loves" spring up and die around us every day than we reck of. They do not ripen into fruit, but simply blossom like the wayside flowers; and the world is all the sweeter for them. When May came home that evening, she was delighted to hear of the favourable impression her friend had made; although she declared it was shabby of Clara to have come in her absence. May brought the news from College Quad that Constance had written home for a prolonged leave of absence, having been invited by the duchess to accompany Mrs. Griffin to Glengowrie. "Canon Hadlow grumbles a little," said May; "but he will let her go. And I am so glad; I hated the idea of going; but Conny will enjoy it, and everybody else will soon find out that she is the right girl in the right place--which, I am sure, I should not have been." "Mr. Bragg is not going to Glengowrie either, I understand," said Mrs. Dobbs, growing very red, and coughing to hide her embarrassment. "No; Mr. Bragg and I are quite agreed in not liking that sort of thing. He says he feels lonely in a strange house; and so do I. If the duke and duchess were my _friends_, it would be different." "Mr. Bragg has a good deal of sense, I think." "Plenty of common sense." "And--ahem!--and good feeling--don't you think?" "What's the matter with your throat, granny? Shall I get you a glass of water?--Oh yes; he does a great deal of good with his wealth. Canon Hadlow was saying only this afternoon that Mr. Bragg gives away very large sums in private, besides the public subscriptions, where every one sees his name." "Mr. Bragg was here the other day to speak to me--on business--No, no; I don't want any water! Sit still, child. And I think you are a great favourite of his."