Bertie wisely held his tongue.  Katherine declared herself ready and willing to accept the offer, and Miss Payne, with resolute candor, declared that the remuneration was miserable, but that it was as well to be doing something while waiting for a better appointment.

Poor Katherine was terribly distressed by this frankness, but Mrs. Needham was quite unmoved.  She said she saw the force of what Miss Payne said, but there it was, and it remained with Miss Liddell to take or leave what she suggested.

Then Miss Payne’s prospects came under discussion, and the doubtful circumstances connected with Miss Bradley’s proposition.

“Now it is long past ten o’clock, and we must say good-night,” remarked Miss Payne.  “Really, Mrs. Needham, you are a wonderful woman!  You have nearly ‘placed’ us both.  How earnestly I hope there are better and brighter days before my young friend, whom I shall miss very much!”

“That I am quite sure.  Well, she can go and see you as often as you like.  Now tell me, isn’t Angela Bradley a splendid creature?”

“She is indeed,” murmured Katherine.

“Well, there is a good deal of her,” said Miss Payne, with a sniff.

“Not too much for Mr. Errington, I think,” exclaimed Mrs. Needham with a knowing smile.  “I fancy that will be a match before the season is over.  It will be a capital thing for Errington.  Old Bradley is im-mensely rich, and I am sure Errington is far gone.  Well, good-night, my dear Miss Payne.  I am so glad to think I shall have Miss Liddell for a little while, at all events.  You will come the day after to-morrow at ten, won’t you, and help me to regulate some of my papers?  Good-night, my dear, good-night.”

Mr. Newton came into his office the afternoon the day following Mrs. Needham’s little dinner.  His step was alert and his head erect, as though he was satisfied with himself and the world.  A boy who sat in a box near the door, to make a note of the flies walking into the spider’s parlor, darted out, saying, “Please sir, Miss Liddell is waiting for you.”

“Is she?  Very well.”  And the old lawyer went quickly along the passage leading to the other rooms, and opening the door of his own, found Katherine sitting by the table, a newspaper, which had evidently dropped from her hand, lying by her on the carpet.  She started up to meet her good friend, who was struck by her pallor and the sad look in her eyes.

“Well, this is lucky!” exclaimed Newton, shaking hands with her cordially.  “I was going to write to you, as I wanted to see you, and here you are.”

“I was just beginning to fear I might be troublesome, but I have been so anxious.”

“Of course you have.  And you have been very patient, on the whole.  Well”—­laying aside his hat, and rubbing his hands as he sat down—­“I have just come from consulting with Messrs. Compton, and I am very happy to tell you it is agreed that George Liddell shall withdraw his claim to the arrears of income, but not to the savings you have effected since your succession to the property, also the balance standing to your name at your banker’s is not to be interfered with; so I think things are arranging themselves more favorably, on the whole, than I could have hoped.”