to see whether her ambassador was returning.  From her window there was only one very short space of pathway on which she could have seen her and, as it happened, there came the ring at the door, and no ambassador had as yet been viewed.  Miss Stanbury was immediately off her seat, and out upon the landing.  ‘Here we are again, Miss Dorothy,’ said Martha.  Then Miss Stanbury could not restrain herself but descended the stairs, moving as she had never moved since she had first been ill.  ‘My bairn,’ she said; ’my dearest bairn!  I thought that perhaps it might be so.  Jane, another tea-cup and saucer up-stairs.’  What a pity that she had not ordered it before!  ’And get a hot cake, Jane.  You will be ever so hungry, my darling, after your journey.’

‘Are you glad to see me, Aunt Stanbury?’ said Dorothy.

‘Glad, my pretty one!’ Then she put up her hands, and smoothed down the girl’s cheeks, and kissed her, and patted Martha on the back, and scolded her at the same time for not bringing Miss Dorothy from the station in a cab.  ‘And what is the meaning of that little bag?’ she said.  ’You shall go back for the rest yourself, Martha, because it is your own fault.’  Martha knew that all this was pleasant enough, but then her mistress’s moods would sometimes be changed so suddenly!  How would it be when Miss Stanbury knew that Brooke Burgess had been left behind at Nuncombe Putney?

‘You see I didn’t stay to eat any of the lamb,’ said Dorothy, smiling.

‘You shall have a calf instead, my dear,’ said Miss Stanbury, ’because you are a returned prodigal.’

All this was very pleasant, and Miss Stanbury was so happy dispensing her tea, and the hot cake, and the clotted cream, and was so intent upon her little methods of caressing and petting her niece, that Dorothy had no heart to tell her story while the plates and cups were still upon the table.  She had not, perhaps, cared much for the hot cake, having such a weight upon her mind, but she had seemed to care, understanding well that she might so best conduce to her aunt’s comfort.  Miss Stanbury was a woman who could not bear that the good things which she had provided for a guest should not be enjoyed.  She could taste with a friend’s palate, and drink with a friend’s throat.  But when debarred these vicarious pleasures by what seemed to her to be the caprice of her guests, she would be offended.  It had been one of the original sins of Camilla and Arabella French that they would declare at her tea-table that they had dined late and could not eat tea-cake.  Dorothy knew all this and did her duty, but with a heavy heart.  There was the story to be told, and she had promised Martha that it should be told tonight.  She was quite aware, too, independently of her promise, that it was necessary that it should be told tonight.  It was very sad very grievous that the dear old lady’s happiness should be disturbed so soon; but it must be done.  When the tea-things were being taken away her aunt