 Don't be anxious; he feels that all his hopes have
been realised in you.«
    There was silence. Jane made a pretence of using her needle, and Sidney
watched her hands.
    »He spoke to you of a lady called Miss Lant?« were his next words.
    »Yes. He just mentioned her.«
    »Are you going to see her soon?«
    »I don't know. Have you seen her?«
    »No. But I believe she's a woman you could soon be friendly with. I hope
your grandfather will ask her to come here before long.«
    »I'm rather afraid of strangers.«
    »No doubt,« said the other, smiling. »But you'll get over that. I shall do
my best to persuade Mr. Snowdon to make you acquainted with her.«
    Jane drew in her breath uneasily.
    »She won't want me to know other people, I hope?«
    »Oh, if she does, they'll be kind and nice and easy to talk to.«
    Jane raised her eyes and said half-laughingly:
    »I feel as if I was very childish, and that makes me feel it still more. Of
course, if it's necessary, I'll do my best to talk to strangers. But they won't
expect too much of me, at first? I mean, if they find me a little slow, they
won't be impatient?«
    »You mustn't think that hard things are going to be asked of you. You'll
never be required to say or do anything that you haven't already said and done
many a time, quite naturally. Why, it's some time since you began the kind of
work of which your grandfather has been speaking.«
    »I have begun it? How?«
    »Who has been such a good friend to Pennyloaf, and helped her as nobody else
could have done?«
    »Oh, but that's nothing!«
    Sidney was on the point of replying, but suddenly altered his intention. He
raised himself from the leaning attitude, and took his hat.
    »Well, we'll talk about it another time,« he said carelessly. »I can't stop
long to-night, so I'll go up and see your grandfather.«
    Jane rose silently.
    »I'll just look in and say good-night before I go,« Sidney added, as he left
the room.
    He
