On passing Rock House, the youthful public was rather amused at his pausing, and saying—–­

‘Aren’t you going to leave some flowers there?’

‘Oh yes!’ said Gillian.  ‘I have a basket on purpose.’

‘And I have some for Maura,’ said Valetta.

Valetta’s was an untidy bunch; Gillian’s a dainty basket, where white violets reposed on moss within a circle of larger blossoms.

‘That’s something like!’ quoth Ivinghoe.

He lingered with them as if he wanted to see that vision again, but only the caretaker appeared, and promised to take the flowers upstairs.

Maura afterwards told how they were enjoyed, and they knew of
Kalliope’s calm restfulness in Holy Week thoughts and Paschal Joys.

It was on Easter Tuesday that Mr. White first sent a message asking to see his guest, now of nearly three weeks.

He came in very quietly and gently—–­perhaps the sight of the room he had prepared for his young wife was in itself a shock to him, and he had lived so long without womankind that he had all a lonely man’s awe of an invalid.  He took with a certain respect the hand that Kalliope held out, as she said, with a faint flush in her cheeks—–­

‘I am glad to thank you, sir.  You have been very good to me.’

‘I am glad to see you better,’ he said, with a little embarrassment.

’I ought to be, in this beautiful air, and with these lovely things to look at,’ and she pointed to the reigning photograph on the stand-—­the facade of St. Mark’s.

‘You should see it as I did.’  And he began to describe it to her, she putting in a question or two here and there, which showed her appreciation.

‘You know something about it already,’ he said.

’Yes; when I was quite a little girl one of the officers in the Royal Wardours brought some photographs to Malta, and told me about them.’

‘But,’ he said, recalling himself, that is not my object now.  Your brother says he does not feel competent to decide without you.’  And he laid before her two or three prospectuses of grammar schools.  ’It is time to apply,’ he added, ’if that little fellow—–­Peter, you call him, don’t you?—–­is to begin next term.’

‘Petros!  Oh, sir, this is kindness!’

‘I desired that the children’s education should be attended to,’ said Mr. White.  ’I did not intend their being sent to an ordinary National school.’

‘Indeed,’ said Kalliope; ’I do not think much time has been lost, for they have learnt a good deal there; but I am particularly glad that Petros should go to a superior school just now that he has been left alone, for he is more lively and sociable than Theodore, and it might be less easy for him to keep from bad companions.’

The pros and cons of the several schools were discussed, and Hurstpierpoint finally fixed on.

‘Never mind about his outfit,’ added Mr. White.  ’I’ll give that fellow down in Bellevue an order to rig him out.  He is a sharp little sturdy fellow, who will make his way in the world.’