“I am sure religion is much obliged to you,” observed Miss Payne.  “How do you and my brother get on?”

“Remarkably well. I think him rather a fanatic; he thinks me a pagan.  But we both have common-sense enough to see that each honestly wishes to help suffering humanity, and on that broad platform we meet.  Mr. Payne tells me you don’t know much of London, Miss Liddell.  I can help you to see some of its more interesting sides.  I shall be most happy, though I am a very busy woman.  I am a journalist, and my time is not my own.”

“Indeed?” cried Katherine.  “You mean you write for newspapers?”

“Yes; that is, I get what crumbs fall from the press_men’s_ table.  They get the best work and the best pay; but I can work as well as most of them, and sometimes mine goes in in place of what some idle, pleasure-loving scamp has neglected.  Let me see”—­pulling out her watch—­“five minutes to four.  I must not stay.  I have to look in at Mrs. Rayner’s studio; she has a reception, and will want a mention of it.  Then there are Sir Charles Goodman’s training schools for deaf-mutes and the new Art Photography Company’s rooms to run through before I go to the House of Commons to do my ‘Bird’s-eye View’ letter for the Australian mail to-morrow.”

“My dear Mrs. Needham, you take my breath away!” exclaimed Katherine.  “I am sure you could show me more of London—­I mean what I should like to see—­than any one else.”

“Very well.  Let me know when you come back to town, and you shall hear a debate if you like.  I am not a society woman, but I have the entree to most places.  Now good-morning—­good-morning.  You see your agreeable conversation has made me forget the time.”  And shaking hands cordially, she hastened away.

“Our agreeable conversation,” repeated Miss Payne, with a somewhat cynical accent.  “I wonder how many words you and I uttered!  Why she makes me stupid.  Really Gilbert ought not to inflict such a tornado on us.”

“I like her,” said Katherine; “there is something kind and true about her.  I should like to see some of the places she goes to and the work she does.  She seems happy enough, too.  I must not forget to write to her and send that check I promised.”

“Hem!  If you give right and left you’ll not have much left for yourself,” growled Miss Payne.  Katherine laughed.

“Oh, by-the-way,” resumed her chaperon, “I forgot to tell you that Colonel Ormonde arrived, shortly after you went out, with a large basket of flowers.  He was vexed at missing you.  He came up about some business, and wanted to take you to see some one.  However, he could not come back.  I can’t say that I think he is well mannered.  He was quite rough and brusque, and asked with such an ill-bred sneer if you were off on any private business with my brother.”

“I can’t help thinking that he was annoyed because I appointed Mr. Payne co-trustee with Mr. Newton to my deed of gift,” said Katherine, thoughtfully.  “But I know I could not have chosen a better man.”