There was a unanimous groan at this, and much reproach. After which, in his preoccupied way, he explained. The story's written. I could write to my man and enclose the key. He could send down the packet as he finds it. The others resented postponement, but it was just his scruples that charmed me. To this, his answer was prompt. Oh, thank God, no. And is the record yours? He hung fire again. A woman's. She has been dead these twenty years. She sent me the pages in question before she died. She was the most agreeable woman I've ever known in her position. She would have been worthy of any whatever. It wasn't simply that she said so but that I knew she hadn't I was sure I could see You'll easily judge why when you hear because the thing had been such a scare he continued to fix me You are acute He quitted the fire and dropped back into his chair Probably not till the second post It was almost the tone of hope Everybody will stay cried the ladies whose departure had been fixed Missus Griffin however expressed the need for a little more light Who was it she was in love with The story will tell I took upon myself to reply Oh I can't wait for the story The story won't tell said Douglas not in any literal vulgar way More's the pity then Won't you tell Douglas Well if I don't know who she was in love with I know who he was Let me say here distinctly to have done with it that this narrative from an exact transcript of my own made much later is what I shall presently give Poor Douglas before his death when it was in sight committed to me the manuscript that reached him on the third of these days and that on the same spot with immense effect he began to read to our hushed little circle on the night of the fourth The departing ladies who had said they would stay didn't of course thank heaven stay They departed in consequence of arrangements made In a rage of curiosity as they professed produced by the touches with which he had already worked us up The first of these touches conveyed that the written statement took up the tale at a point after it had in a manner begun He had for his own town residence a big house filled with the spoils of travel and the trophies of the chase but it was to his country home an old family place in Essex that he wished her immediately to proceed The awkward thing was that they had practically no other relations and that his own affairs took up all his time There were plenty of people to help but of course the young lady who should go down as governess would be in supreme authority I do not anticipate She was young untried nervous It was a vision of serious duties in little company of really great loneliness Yes but that's just the beauty of her passion It was the beauty of it It sounded dull but sounded strange and all the more so because of his main condition which was She promised to do this and she mentioned to me that when for a moment disburdened delighted he held her hand thanking her for the sacrifice She already felt rewarded But was that all her reward One of the ladies asked Here she would stay comforted and soothed among the lovely plants and rich exotics rejoicing the heart of old Turner the gardener who since Polly's first rapturous entrance had taken her into his good graces for all time Every chance she could steal after practice hours were over and after the clamorous demands of the boys upon her time were fully satisfied was seized to fly on the wings of the wind to the flowers Then dear said Mrs. Whitney you must be kinder to her than ever think what it would be for one of you to be away from home even among friends somehow of all the days when the home feeling was the strongest this day it seemed as if she could bear it no longer if she could only see Phronsie for just one moment oh she's always at the piano said Van she must be there now somewhere and then somebody laughed at this the bundle opened suddenly and out popped Phronsie But Polly could not speak, and if Jasper had not caught her just in time, she would have tumbled over backward from the stool, Phronsie and all. Asked Phronsie, with her little face close to Polly's own. Now you'll stay, cried Van, say, Polly, won't you? Oh, you are the dearest and best Mr. King I ever saw, but how did you make Mammy let her come? Isn't he splendid? cried Jasper, in intense pride, swelling up. Father knew how to do it. There, there, he said soothingly, patting her brown fuzzy head. I know, gasped Polly, controlling her sobs. I won't, only, I can't thank you, asked Phronsie, in intense interest, slipping down out of Polly's arms and crowding up close to Jasper's side. Yes, all alone by himself, asserted Jasper, vehemently, and winking furiously to the others to stop their laughing. He did now, truly, Phronsie. Oh no, Japser, I must go by my very own self. There, Jap, you've caught it, laughed Percy, while the others screamed at the sight of Jasper's face. Don't mind it, Polly, whispered Jasper, twasn't her fault. Dear me, ejaculated the old gentleman, in the utmost amazement, and such a time as I've had to get her here too. How did her mother ever let her go? She asked impulsively. I didn't believe you could persuade her father. I didn't have any fears if I worked it rightly, said the old gentleman complacently. He cried in high dudgeon, just as if he owned the whole of the peppers and could dispose of them all to suit his fancy. And the old gentleman was so delighted with his success that he had to burst out into a series of short, happy bits of laughter, that occupied quite a space of time. At last he came out of them and wiped his face vigorously. It is sixteen years since John Bergson died.