She said she didn’t want to know them. She wanted to go down on Monday, early. I got her to see—it took some little time—the disadvantages of this. We should only be adding to Robina’s troubles; and change of plan now would unsettle Dick’s mind. “He has promised to write me,” I said, “and tell me the result of his first day’s experience. Let us wait and hear what he says.” She said that whatever could have possessed her to let me take those poor unfortunate children away from her, and muddle up everything without her, was a mystery to herself. She hoped that, at least, I had done nothing irrevocable in the case of Veronica. “Veronica,” I said, “is really wishful, I think, to improve. I have bought her a donkey.” “A what?” exclaimed Ethelbertha. “A donkey,” I repeated. “The child took a fancy to it, and we all agreed it might help to steady her—give her a sense of responsibility.” “I somehow felt you hadn’t overlooked Veronica,” said Ethelbertha. I thought it best to change the conversation. She seemed in a fretful mood. CHAPTER VIII ROBINA’S letter was dated Monday evening, and reached us Tuesday morning. * * * * * “I hope you caught your train,” she wrote. “Veronica did not get back till half-past six. She informed me that you and she had found a good deal to talk about, and that ‘one thing had led to another.’ She is a quaint young imp, but I think your lecture must have done her good. Her present attitude is that of gentle forbearance to all around her—not without its dignity. She has not snorted once, and at times is really helpful. I have given her an empty scribbling diary we found in your desk, and most of her spare time she remains shut up with it in the bedroom. She tells me you and she are writing a book together. I asked her what about. She waved me aside with the assurance that I would know ‘all in good time,’ and that it was going to do good. I caught sight of just the title-page last night. It was lying open on the dressing-table: ‘Why the Man in the Moon looks sat upon.’ It sounds like a title of yours. But I would not look further, though tempted. She has drawn a picture underneath. It is really not bad. The old gentleman really does look sat upon, and intensely disgusted.