“Absolutely,” quoth Mr. Bonamy; and he strode on with one hand in his pocket, his coat-tails flying, and his money jingling in a manner inimitable by any other Claversham person. At tea they were both silent upon the subject, but the lawyer presently let drop the fact that the earl had accepted the rector’s resignation. Jack, watchfully jealous, poor fellow, yet in his jealousy loyal to the core, glanced involuntarily at Kate to see what effect the news produced upon her; and then glanced swiftly away again. Not so swiftly, however, that the change in the girl’s face escaped him. He saw it flush with mingled pride and alarm, and then grow grave and thoughtful. After that she kept her eyes averted from him, and he talked busily to Daintry. “I must be leaving you to-morrow,” he said by-and-by, as they rose from the table. “You will be coming back again?” Mr. Bonamy answered, interrupting a loud wail from Daintry. It should be explained that Jack had not stayed through the whole of these weeks at Claversham, but had twice left for some days on circuit business. Mr. Bonamy thought he was meditating another of these disappearances. “I should like to do so,” Jack answered quietly, “but I must get back to London now.” “Well, your room will be ready for you whenever you like to come to us,” Mr. Bonamy replied with crabbed graciousness. And he fully meant what he said. He had grown used to Jack’s company. He saw, too, the change his presence had made in the girls’ lives, and possibly he entertained some thoughts of a greater change which the cousin might make in the life of one of them. So he was sorry to lose Jack. But Daintry was inconsolable. When she and Kate were alone together she made her moan, sitting in a great chair three sizes too big for her, with her legs sprawling before her, her hands on the chair-arms, and her eyes on the fire. “Oh, dear, what shall we do when he is gone, Kate?” she said disconsolately. “Won’t it be miserable?” Kate, who was bending over her work, and had been unusually silent for some time, looked up with a start and a rush of color to her cheeks. “When who is gone—oh, you mean Jack!” she said rather incoherently. “Of course I do,” Daintry answered crossly. “But you never did care for Jack.” “You have no right to say that,” Kate answered quickly, letting her work drop for the moment. “I think Jack is one of the noblest, the most generous—yes,” she continued quickly, “the bravest man I have ever known, Daintry.” Her voice trembled, and Daintry saw with surprise that her eyes were full of tears. “I never thought you felt like that about him,” the younger girl answered penitently. “Perhaps I did not a little while back,” Kate answered gently, as she took up her work again. “I know him better now, that is all.”