The Bars of Iron

peeped round the door. "I've brought my French exercise to do," s

n her rapid stitching to look up with a smile at the pretty, brown-haired child

ock you're mending? What an awful tear!" She came and stood by Mrs. Denys's side, speaking in a low, rather monotonous voice. A heavy strand of he

therly arm about the slim body that leaned against her, looki

tired," sa

Mrs. Denys. "You will find it easier in the morning. Lie dow

ather will never let any of us go t

ou're really tired-

; thank you very much, I must

live?" aske

n. "Mother is rather upset to-night," she said, as she turned the leaves of her book. "Ronald and Julian have been smoking, and she is so afraid that Father will find out

young still, and it was yet in her to be ardent; but she had none of the giddy restlessness of youth. Avery Denys was a woman who had left her girlhood wholly behind her. Her enthusiasms and her impulses were kindled at a steadier flame than the flickering torch of youth. There was no romance left in her life, but yet was she without bitterness. She had known suffering and faced it unblanching. The only mark it had left upon her was that air of womanly knowledge that clothed

onfidence, she worked in silence; then suddenly,

ll about her shoulders. There was a worried frown between her brows. Slowly h

of a violin. It wailed itself into silence, and then broke fo

side. "What is worrying you, dear?" she asked gently. "I'm n

r voice of tired courtesy. "You

you don't know in the

ie. "Father doesn't like u

raised to Avery's face, but they smiled qui

ead and drew it to rest against her. "Poo

her eyes for a few stolen moments. "I'm thirteen in March.

lue-veined forehead. Jeanie opened her eyes in slight surpr

he said, with her quiet air of childish

ry, after a moment's thought, turned to the door. She heard ag

e strident shouts of two small boys who were racing to and fro in an uncarpeted room at the top of the house. But after that one shiver Avery Denys had no further attention to be

pon the first door she came to. A voice withi

table with a face of dignified severity to receive he

in!" he said urbanely. "Is there any wa

smiled. But for this slight defect, Mr. Lorimer would have been a handsome man.

her lessons all the afternoon because she has been helping with the little ones in the nursery. She insists upon doing her French exe

s raised to Mr. Lorimer's face. She watched his smil

and a sharp doubt went through her. She

east two points of view to every proposition. You tell me that Jeanie was occupied in the nursery during that period of the da

t because Nurse had been up practically all night with Baby and needed a rest and I was obliged to go into

o you, but at the same time she has no right to offer duty upon the altar of kindness. You will acknowledge that to obey is better than sacrifi

ver shirk her duty. She is far too conscientious. It is really for the sake of her health that I came to beg you to let her off that French exercise. I am sure she is not strong. Perha

ld fall to your share. You presumably were unaware that Jeanne's afternoon should have been devoted to her studies. She cannot plead a like ign

itted. "But I am distressed-very greatly distressed-on

must be maintained at all costs-even among the members of your charming sex. As a matter of fact, I am

on which lay a cane, and again the

then impulsively, "No; forgive me! I ought not to put it like that. But do

ith tolerant irony. "I fear your heart runs away with you, Mrs. Denys, and I must not suffer myself to listen to you. I hav

oor as he finished speaking, an

me

und it. A quick exclamation rose to Avery's lips before she

"He has been with me all the afternoon. I hardly t

atrick!" said

y downcast. His freckled face had a half-frightened, half-sullen expression. He halte

nys what you

upwards, and made lacon

y in great distress. "I'm

s became visible as two brilliant pin-

t was cruel to keep a dog tied up. I suppose I ought to have kept my thoughts to my

do you know what happened in conseque

nswer. "He fought Mr. Evesham's

Mrs. D

nyhow to Mike. I am very, very sorry, Mr. Lorimer. But

y, but Patrick was aware that in releasing the dog he was acting in direct opposition to my orders. Therefore he must bear his own punishment

er life. A fury of resentment possessed her, but feeling her self-control to be to

room, she perceived tha