‘That I can safely do,’ said Mr Jones.

When he had read the note he looked pleased, and his manner was rather flurried, as he said,—­

’Perhaps I can manage to stay over to-morrow, but I will not go to-night.  Will you oblige me with a pen and ink?’

Gladys was off in a moment, and returned with writing materials.

Mr Jones wrote a polite note, declining the invitation for that evening upon plea of the lateness of the hour and fatigue, but promising to call on the morrow early, and to remain the day, if he possibly could.

After he had despatched his note he seemed more thoughtful than he was before, and, for a short time, absent when spoken to; but rousing himself he made good return for the kindness and hospitality of his host and hostess by his agreeable and instructive conversation.

He told them that he had been a missionary ever since his ordination, and had travelled over the principal parts of the continent of Australia.  Gladys forgot her fatigue in her great interest in his subject; and when he saw her deep attention, he frequently addressed her and drew forth questions from her which surprised Mr Prothero quite as much, or more than it did Mr Jones.  Mrs Prothero knew the girl’s turn of mind too well to be astonished at the amount of missionary and geographical knowledge that she possessed.  Gladys was naturally very timid and modest, but when subjects of interest were introduced she forgot her timidity in a desire for information.

Owen had discovered her bent, and in their frequent meetings, accidental or designed, had often chained her to him by descriptions of the countries he had visited and the wonders he had seen.  He, too, had found out that there was a deep vein of romance running beneath the stratum of reserve that, at first, had formed the outward feature of her character, but which was wearing away as she became accustomed to her new friends, and had been treated as a friend by them.

It was evident that Mr Jones was greatly interested in Gladys.  He addressed her, looked at her, called her ‘my dear,’ somewhat to the scandal of Mr Prothero, who thought him too young a man for such a familiar address.  But Gladys only turned on him two beautiful eyes beaming with a kind of wondering gratitude, and thought the white and grey hairs that were mingled with the brown, and the deep lines in his forehead, quite passport enough for the two kind words.

In addition to a great deal of missionary adventure, Mr Jones told his new friends that he had come home partly in search of health and rest, and partly to stir up friends at home in the cause of religion abroad.  He said that he might or might not return himself to Australia,—­it would depend on circumstances; but that he could not be idle in England, and was likely to become either a fellow-curate of Rowland’s, or a neighbouring one.  He liked a city curacy, because, having taught the heathen in another land for many years, he thought he might do some good amongst them at home.  He told them, also, that it was during a year’s residence in Melbourne that he had known Miss Hall’s sister.  He had been obliged to undertake clerical duty there, because his health was failing in his attempts to convert the aborigines.