‘It is an anomalous position, and I have a great pity for them,’ said Miss Mohun.  ‘Miss White must be a very clever girl.’

‘Talented, yes,’ said Mr. Stebbing.  ’She is useful in her department.

‘That may be,’ said Mrs. Stebbing; ’but it won’t do to encourage her.  She is an artful, designing girl, I know very well—–­’

‘Do you know anything against her?’ asked Miss Mohun, looking volumes of repression at Gillian, whose brown eyes showed symptoms of glaring like a cat’s, under her hat.

’I do not speak without warrant, Miss Mohun.  She is one of those demure, proper-behaved sort that are really the worst flirts of all, if you’ll excuse me.’

Most thankful was Miss Mohun that the door opened at that moment to admit some more visitors, for she saw that Gillian might at any moment explode.

‘Aunt Jane,’ she exclaimed, as soon as they had accomplished their departure, ‘you don’t believe it?’

‘I do not think Miss White looks like it,’ said Miss Mohun.  ’She seemed a quiet, simple girl.’

‘And you don’t believe all that about poor Captain White?’

‘Not the more for Mrs. Stebbing’s saying so.’

’But you will find out and refute her.  There must be people who know.’

’My dear, you had better not try to rake up such things.  You know that the man bore an excellent character for many years in the army, and you had better be satisfied with that,’ said Miss Jane for once in her life, as if to provoke Gillian, not on the side of curiosity.

‘Then you do believe it!’ went on Gillian, feeling much injured for her hero’s sake, and wearing what looked like a pertinacious pout.

’Truth compels me to say, Gillian, that the sons of men, even in a small way of business, are not apt to run away and enlist without some reason.’

‘And I am quite sure it was all that horrid old White’s fault.’

‘You had better content yourself with that belief.’

Gillian felt greatly affronted, but Fergus, who thought all this very tiresome, broke in, after a third attempt—–­

‘Aunt Jane, if the pulley of that crane—–­’

And all the way home they discussed machinery, and Gillian’s heart swelled.

‘I am afraid Gillian was greatly displeased with me,’ said Miss Mohun that evening, talking it over with her sister.  ’But her captain might have a fall if she went poking into all the gossip of the place about him.’

‘Most likely whatever he did would be greatly exaggerated,’ said Adeline.

’No doubt of it!  Besides, those young men who are meant by nature for heroes are apt to show some Beserkerwuth in their youth, like Hereward le Wake.’

‘But what did you think of the girl?’

’I liked her looks very much.  I have seen her singing in the choruses at the choral society concert, and thought how nice her manner was.  She does justice to her classical extraction, and is modest and ladylike besides.  Mrs. Stebbing is spiteful!  I wonder whether it is jealousy.  She calls her artful and designing, which sounds to me very much as if Master Frank might admire the damsel.  I have a great mind to have the two girls to tea, and see what they are made of.’