She was pouring out the tea as she spoke, and I took the cup from her hand, watching her thoughtfully the while, for she seemed to have grown strange and quiet during the last few hours; and it set me wondering whether she would ever be so kind to me again. In fact, I thought I must have done something to offend her. That thought was chased away after tea, when we both rose, and she held out her hands to me with a very sweet smile, which told me the time had arrived when I must go. "And now, Antony, you must come and see me again, often. Good-bye." I could not speak, but stood clinging to her hands for a few minutes. "Don't think me foolish," I said, at last; "but it has seemed so strange--you have been so kind--I don't know why--I have not deserved it." "Antony," she said, laying one hand upon my shoulder, and speaking very softly and slowly, "neither do I know why, only that your simple little story seemed to go home to my heart. I thought then, as I think now, that when I lost both those who were near and dear to me, my sister and I might have been left penniless, to go out and struggle in the world as you have had to do. Once more, good-bye. Only strive on worthily, and you shall always find that I am your friend." The next minute I was in the street, dull, depressed, and yet elated and joyful, while I ran over again the bright, sunshiny hours that had been so unexpectedly passed, as I hastened northward to join Revitts, for it was one of his home nights. CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. LINNY IS OUT LATE. I noticed that there was growing trouble at the Halletts', and more than once, when I went up, I found Linny in tears, which, however, she hastily concealed. This was the case on the night following my visit to Miss Carr, whose words, "that I need be under no uneasiness," were verified. The fact that I had been sent out by Mr Lister was sufficient for Mr Jabez Rowle; and when, during the next day, I encountered Mr Lister himself, he nodded to me in quite a friendly way, and said, "How are you?" Mrs Hallett was asleep, and I went upstairs softly, tapped at Hallett's room door, and went in, to find him deeply immersed in his task, over which he was bending with knitted brows, and evidently in doubt. "Ah, Antony," he said, "here we are, as busy as usual. How did you get on last night?" "With Revitts?" "Yes; was it not your lesson-night?" "Yes," I said; "but I thought perhaps you meant at Miss Carr's!" He dropped the file with which he had been at work and stared at me. "Where did you say?" he exclaimed. "Mr Lister sent me with a note to Miss Carr, and she kept me there all day." He drew in his breath with a hiss, caught up the file and went on working, while I chattered on, little thinking of the pain I was causing the poor fellow, as I rapturously praised Miss Carr and her home, and told him by degrees how I had spent the day.