It was no doubt this knowledge of what flowers are for that almost led to the spilling of milk at the very moment when milk-spilling seemed in a high degree improbable.

The conversation had left Susan and her caprices, and had reached Helen and her solid wisdom.

“But you haven’t told me what you’re doing i’ Bosley,” said the old man.

“I’ve told you I’m living here,” said Helen.  “I’ve now been living here for one week and one day.  I’m teaching at the Park Road Board School.  I got transferred from Longshaw.  I never liked Longshaw, and I always like a change.”

“Yes,” said Ollerenshaw, judiciously, “of the two I reckon as Bosley is the frying-pan.  So you’re teaching up yonder?” He jerked his elbow in the direction of the spacious and imposing terra-cotta Board School, whose front looked on the eastern gates of the park.  “What dost teach?”

“Oh, everything,” Helen replied.

“You must be very useful to ’em,” said James.  “What do they pay you for teaching everything?”

“Seventy-two pounds,” said Helen.

“A month?  It ’ud be cheap at a hundred, lass; unless there’s a whole crowd on ye as can teach everything.  Can you sew?”

“Sew!” she exclaimed.  “I’ve given lessons in sewing for years. And cookery. And mathematics.  I used to give evening lessons in mathematics at Longshaw secondary school.”

Great-stepuncle James gazed at her.  It was useless for him to try to pretend to himself that he was not, secretly, struck all of a heap by the wonders of the living organism in front of him.  He was.  And this shows, though he was a wise man and an experienced, how ignorant he was of the world.  But I do not think he was more ignorant of the world than most wise and experienced men are.  He conceived Helen Rathbone as an extraordinary, an amazing creature.  Nothing of the kind.  There are simply thousands of agreeable and good girls who can accomplish herring-bone, omelettes, and simultaneous equations in a breath, as it were.  They are all over the kingdom, and may be seen in the streets and lanes thereof about half-past eight in the morning and again about five o’clock in the evening.  But the fact is not generally known.  Only the stern and blase members of School Boards or Education Committees know it.  And they are so used to marvels that they make nothing of them.

However, James Ollerenshaw had no intention of striking his flag.

“Mathematics!” he murmured.  “I lay you can’t tell me the interest on eighty-nine pounds for six months at four and a half per cent.”

Consols happened to be at eighty-nine that day.

Her lips curled.  “I’m really quite surprised you should encourage me to gamble,” said she.  “But I’ll bet you a shilling I can.  And I’ll bet you one shilling against half-a-crown that I do it in my head, if you like.  And if I lose I’ll pay.”

She made a slight movement, and he noticed for the first time that she was carrying a small purse as black as her glove.