“It may be that she envies me my daughter,” rejoined Mrs. Heritage proudly. “Yet I do not think she is sad, for she told me that this Eastertide had been the happiest she had ever known.” “I wonder why?” speculated Marielle. “Perhaps we may learn the reason some day, darling. But here comes Ann with the lamp, and you must leave me in peace as I have several letters to write before post time.” “And I must try over that new work for the Chester concert,” replied Marielle, and very shortly both the ladies were absorbed in their respective occupations. * * * * * Three months had come and gone, and the acquaintance begun between the Duncans and Heritages had rapidly ripened into a warm friendship. Scarcely a week now passed without, at any rate, the ladies of the two families meeting at one house or the other, and Mrs. Duncan had begun to feel that she should sorely miss either Mrs. Heritage or Marielle should anything occur to cause their removal from Manningham. True, the remark was frequently made to Marielle, “Oh, you ought to be in London!” But the girl so far had only smiled and answered very justly: “Why should I go to London when I can find plenty to do here. There I should be only one among hundreds, while here I already have a position and name in the musical world.” The force of her argument was undeniable, and the Heritages remained in Manningham. One hot afternoon in July a telegram came to No. 27, York Road, from a pupil, to ask Marielle if she could give a lesson at Forman’s at five o’clock. Marielle grumbled a little, not unnaturally, as it would necessitate her breaking a promise she had made to accompany her mother and Mrs. Duncan in a walk to the High Park at that hour. But the pupil was one whom it would not do to offend, so she wired back that she would give the lesson, and persuaded her mother not to give up the walk on that account, but to go notwithstanding her own absence. “You will get your walk just the same, mother darling, won’t you? For I know Mrs. Duncan would be greatly disappointed if you did not go. It would seem as if you only cared to go when I was with you, and that would never do!” Mrs. Heritage gave the required promise, and duly set forth at the time appointed. The lesson over, Marielle glanced at her watch. It wanted five-and-twenty minutes to six. “I know what I will do,” she said to herself as she closed the piano and drew on her gloves. “I’ll take a Roxton Road tram, and get out at the park gates. I am sure to find mother and Mrs. Duncan in the Rose-walk, they always gravitate in that direction”—smiling, as she pictured their surprise at her unexpected appearance. “I wonder I did not think of it before. I shall be in time to walk home with them in any case, if only I do not have to wait long for my tram!”