The Convert

om were rudely dispelled at a punctual eight each m

some strong recurrent need in her, to hear brass rings run squealing along a bar; as if she cou

a metaphorical shaking of a bony fist in the face of the day, as

t the lady in the bed offered no remonstrance

efore Vida's birth, and had helped to nurse her mistress through a mortal illness ten years later. After Sir Hervey Levering lost his wife, Wark became in time housekeeper and general factotum to the family

Wark wrote to Miss Vida proposing to come back. For some months she waited for the answer. It came at last from Biarritz, where it appeared the young lady was spending the winter with her father. After an exchange of letters Wark joined them there. In the twelve years since her return

maid's negative qualifications, 'and I hate having anybody do my hair for me.

as that Wark had known and been attached to Lady Levering. Th

ervants.' For several years Miss Levering's friends had been speaking of her as one fallen a victim to that passion for Italy that makes it an abiding place dearer than home to so many English-born. But the half-sister, Mrs. Fox-Moore, had not been misled either by that the

really did not love her native land, she seemed to enjoy well enough what s

n letting it sink luxuriously back into relaxed quiescence with a conscious joy in prolonging thos

ied in her pillow, vaguely she was aware tha

licate porcelain tray that bore the early tea. On the little table close to where the dark head lay half hidden, Wark set the

earth would let you wake them in the morning except me.' She sat up an

l.' Time had made but one or two faint ineffectual scratches there, as one who tries, and then abandons, an unpromising surface. The lack of record in the face lent it something almost cryptic. If there were no laughter-wrought lines about the eyes, neither

thies. The mistress, too, looked younger than her years. She did not seem to wonder at the dull presence that seemed to be held there, prisoner-like, behind the brass bars at the

to be called till ten,' said the lady, as though k

d managed wholly to denude the quest

when I began. We didn't g

either.' It was an unhea

zily sipping her te

said slo

were red. Wark, too, seemed uncomfortably aware of something unusual in her face, for sh

awake?' Miss

ile the other people aren't round. I wa

h request had been heard f

ome busines

In North

N

e anything in the nature of a confi

l. When do yo

e stopped, and looked down at

the wooden face prompt

want to do in

place that's b

ace,

eeper. That's what I

ways been that the other one should go. Her mistress knew quite well that in the mouth of the woman standing there with red eyes at the foot of the bed, such an announcement as had just been made, meant more. And the consciousness seemed to bring with it a sense of acute discomfort not unmixed with anger. For there was a threat of

to divine something-through all the lady's se

tell you that th

oloured eyebrows seemed on the way to have overflowed into he

e in this house.' Vida cau

udible rasping to clear her throat, 'I don't like leaving you, miss. I always remember how, that time befo

rent,

d like you'd turned

evelope-in those year

when you was little, but it nearly broke my heart to

in the mistress's eyes, t

you had things to bear while I was away, or else you wouldn't have gone aw

But whosever fault it

. I've never told you how I blamed myself when I heard-and I didn't wonder

gh, Wark. You know we

me any more like you did then. But it's looking back and rememb

el

have been ta

out

ily, 'I didn't try for it. It's com

rows. Wark hadn't said 'gentleman,' who alone in her employer's experien

market gardener, and he wa

ket gardener won't be a

-but he's getting along-except for t

eave me, Wark, for a market gardener you've never so much as see

n him many a tim

o, then, and keep

house to keep, and sh

ho brought her c

oral beads to. My cousin has writt

the b

old her all along I couldn't leave you, but she's always said (since that day you walked about with the baby and gave him the b

uld I un

brass, and slowly she polished it with her open palm. S

sin to come and

re in stolid embarrassment polishing the shiny bar, Miss Levering clutched the tray to steady it, and with the other h

sin about your affairs. We are ol

sin: "Just you find me a good housekeeper," he said, "and i

aren't thinkin

hat my cou

ark! Well, I shall hope and pray he won

worthless huzzies. I don't expect he'll find much fa

ng at the triumphan

dy to leave me aft

say "ready," but I t

e tray-'I could almost think you are in lo

I'm not to

what other reason would

could show cause had she a

ou know quite well you don'

, of course, with you. But tim

us do tha

trouble, miss.

rious regard in the hard-featured countenance. For the

by appearances) on the brink of the grave. Even if I should be smashed up in a motor accident-I know you

iss. It isn't dea

e-the longest th

fraid of?' Miss

looking these twelve ye

that got t

while on looking after children again s

ack with a burst of n

d? I'd no idea you were so romantic. Why m

ildren, miss,' said

is a child. T

mother' (plain that Wark was again in the market garden). 'Yes, she's got a mother! and a sort of a father, and she's got a governess, and a ser

en me up?' the

from the brass bar, and she came round to the side of the bed with an unmistakable ea

nt's silent laughter, but there was so

u my word-if to save you from need to try t

, with perfect gravity. 'But'-as though reconsidering-'you wou

ed at one

for, my poor Wark, you've

he spoke with a f

u must b

nflinching-'Bunting-he's the market gardener-he's bee

back against the pill

n't somehow been pathetic to see how instantly she was on the defensive. '"Healthy and

imself to raising onions and cabbages. If he hadn

ms like those children need some one t

That ought

than a baby.' The wooden wo

tray,' s

ithfullest of servants, and that five little children somewhere in a