window opposite, at the park and the persons walking in it.

"Yes. He seems to go to Whinthorpe every morning for Mass. Ellen says he
breakfasts with the priest."

Augustina sighed and fidgeted. But when she was half-way through her
meal, Laura standing over her, she suddenly laid a shaking hand on
Laura's arm.

"Laura!--Alan's a saint!--he always was--long ago--when I was so blind
and wicked. But now--oh! the things Mrs. Denton's been telling me!"

"Has she?" said Laura coolly. "Well, make up your mind, Augustina"--she
shook her bright head--"that you can't be the same kind of saint that he
is--anyway."

Mrs. Fountain withdrew her hand in quick offence.

"I should be glad if you could talk of these things without flippancy,
Laura. When I think how incapable I have been all these years, of
understanding my dear brother----"

"No--you see you were living with papa," said Laura slowly.

She had left her stepmother's side, and was standing with her back to an
old cabinet, resting her elbows upon it. Her brows were drawn together,
and poor Mrs. Fountain, after a glance at her, looked still more
miserable.

"Your poor papa!" she murmured with a gulp, and then, as though to