"I shall never forget those poor things, to-day. Never!" she said, and
cried unashamedly into her tea-cup.
The man, of course, did not cry, but he too appeared for the time
overwhelmed with the shadow of what had befallen.
"I spoke to their old servant to-day," he said. "It seems the child was
called back; Reggie wouldn't listen; drove off with him."
"I am horribly sorry for Reggie. But oh, I can't forget how _little_ the
coffin looked. Francis, what a handsome family they are! I couldn't help
noticing that, even when they cried, the girls were pretty."
It was more than could have been said of Ada; and she knew it, but cried
all the same.
"The younger girl is extremely good-looking," the brother said, "and she
is a conscientious and good girl, besides."
He thought how certainly, if she had so wished it, she might have been
going to be his sister-in-law, and the reflection again quickened the
perception of the fact that something was due from the family of Forcus to
that of Day.
"I will go and see George Boult to-morrow," he said.
"The draper, do you mean? Why?"
"He is their adviser. Put the poor woman into that wretched shop. He will
know what can be done for them."
Sir Francis, however, did not find himself greatly helped in his
benevolent project by Mr.
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