"Oh, I can guess how you felt about it at the time. But, look here, Phil, you've got over that--surely? After all, I like to think now that Pauline only hurried on the inevitable." Mr. Paul Shaw laid his hand on the minister's shoulder. "Nearly twenty years is a pretty big piece out of a lifetime. I see now how much I have been losing all these years." "It has been a long time, Paul; and, perhaps, I have been to blame in not trying more persistently to heal the breach between us. I assure you that I have regretted it daily." "You always did have a lot more pride in your make-up than a man of your profession has any right to allow himself, Phil. But if you like, I'm prepared to point out to you right now how you can make it up to me. Here comes Lady Shaw and we won't waste time getting to business." That night, as Pauline and Hilary were in their own room, busily discussing, for by no means the first time that day, what Uncle Paul had said to Hilary that morning, and just how he had looked, when he said it, and was it at all possible that father would consent, and so on, _ad libitum_, their mother tapped at the door. Pauline ran to open it. "Good news, or not?" she demanded. "Yes, or no, Mother Shaw?" "That is how you take it," Mrs. Shaw answered. She was glad, very glad, that this unforeseen opportunity should be given her daughters; and yet--it meant the first break in the home circle, the first leaving home for them. Mr. Paul Shaw left the next morning. "I'll try and run up for a day or two, before the girls go to school," he promised his sister-in-law. "Let me know, as soon as you have decided _where_ to send them." Patience was divided in her opinion, as to this new plan. It would be lonesome without Paul and Hilary; but then, for the time being, she would be, to all intents and purposes, "Miss Shaw." Also, Bedelia was not going to boarding-school--on the whole, the arrangement had its advantages. Of course, later, she would have her turn at school--Patience meant to devote a good deal of her winter's reading to boarding-school stories. She told Sextoness Jane so, when that person appeared, just before supper time. Jane looked impressed. "A lot of things keep happening to you folks right along," she observed. "Nothing's ever happened to me, 'cept mumps--and things of that sort; you wouldn't call them interesting. The girls to home?" "They're 'round on the porch, looking at some photos Mr. Oram's brought over; and he's looking at Hilary's. Hilary's going in for some other kind of picture taking. I wish she'd leave her camera home, when she goes to school. Do you want to speak to them about anything particular?" "I'll wait a bit," Jane sat down on the garden-bench beside Patience. "There, he's gone!" the latter said, as the front gate clicked a few moments later. "O Paul!" she called, "You're wanted, Paul!" "You and Hilary going to be busy tonight?" Jane asked, as Pauline came across the lawn.