“That,” said Bell, severely, “was laziness.”

“Perhaps. I don’t know,” said the other, doubtfully. “There are all your things; what shall you do?”

“Only his head. But I wish his hat wasn’t a necessity for you. It is, I suppose?”

“Yes, my dear, an absolute necessity. You needn’t mind so much, though, for his hair is quite short.”

“Short? How very odd! How—”

Kitty interposed with a pretty little motion of her hand.

“I really think he has rested long enough. Will you please stand again?” she said in her young, clear voice.

Everitt rose with decided unwillingness. He was reluctant to face Miss Aitcheson, and began to think that what he had undertaken so lightly might turn out a serious matter. A hundred possibilities flashed through his mind: and then, it annoyed him that Miss Aitcheson placed herself where he could not judge whether she made any discoveries or not.

Still, he got through this hour better than the last.

There can be no doubt that silence is a power of which we underrate the force. Hours of ordinary small talk would not have affected Everitt so strongly as these quiet moments in the old oak-panelled room, with the sunlight, the birds, and the children outside; and inside, this girl—for he could not see her companion—working steadily, and, he was sure, well, with quiet, simple intentness. Sometimes she stepped back a foot or two, and stood looking from her picture at him, throwing back her head, and showing clearly the soft whiteness of her throat and the pretty shape of her head. Instead of looking before him at his unseen comrades, he more than once found himself watching her with steady interest, and thinking in what fashion he would paint her if he got the chance. Standing as she was standing now, he determined, for it was difficult to conceive anything prettier.

Suddenly Sandy, who had given himself over to sleep to avoid looking at Everitt, jumped up, pricked his ears, trotted to the door, and stood with his head on one side. Then a step was heard coming heavily along the passage.

“That’s my father,” said Bell. “He has come here to talk over something or other, and he said he’d look in. Don’t mind him, Kitty; go 

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