At last she heard, 'Well, I think you might read to her, Gillian!
Oh! were not you listening? A very nice girl near here, a pupil
teacher, who has developed a hip complaint, poor child. She will
enjoy having visits from you, a young thing like herself.'

Gillian did not like it at all, but she knew that it would be wrong
to refuse, and answered, 'Very well,' with no alacrity---hoping that
it was not an immediate matter, and that something might happen to
prevent it. But at that moment the sun came out, the rain had
ceased, and there were glistening drops all over the garden; the
weather quarter was clear, and after half an hours rest after dinner
Aunt Jane jumped up, decreeing that it was time to go out, and that
she would introduce Gillian to Lilian Giles before going on to the
rest of her district.

She gathered a few delicate flowers in the little conservatory, and
put them in a basket with a peach from the dessert, then took down a
couple of books from the shelf. Gillian could not but acquiesce,
though she was surprised to find that the one given to her was a
translation of Undine.

'The child is not badly off,' explained Miss Mohun. 'Her father is a
superior workman. She does not exactly want comforts, but she is
sadly depressed and disappointed at not being able to go on with her
work, and the great need is to keep her from fretting over her
troubles, and interested in something.'

Gillian began to think of one of the graceful hectic invalids of whom
she had read, and to grow more interested as she followed Aunt Jane