Miss La Sarthe adjusted a gold pince-nez and looked at the little girl.

"How old are you, Halcyone?" she asked.

"I was twelve on the seventh of last October, Aunt Ginevra."

"Twelve--a young gentlewoman's education is not complete at twelve years
old, child--although governesses in the house are not very pleasant, I
admit"--and Miss La Sarthe sighed.

"Oh, I know it isn't!" said Halcyone, "but you see, I can speak French
and German quite decently, and the other things surely I might learn
myself in between the old gentleman's teaching."

"But what do you know of this--this stranger?" demanded Miss La Sarthe.
"You allude to someone of whom neither your Aunt Roberta nor I have ever
heard."

"I met him to-day. I went into the orchard as usual, and found the house
was inhabited, and I saw him and he asked me in to tea. He is a very old
gentleman with a long white beard, and very, very clever. His room is
full of Greek books and we had a long talk, and he was very kind and
said he would teach me to read them."

This seemed to Halcyone to be sufficient in the way of credentials for
anyone.

"I have heard from Hester," Miss Roberta interposed timidly, "that the
orchard house has been bought by an Oxford professor--it sounds most
respectable, does it not, sister?"