Janet | Page 8

useless even to try to
explain this to Mrs. Todd, for in her own way she was just as positive
and determined as the eccentric Mrs. Page.
"Grim as ever," -- Mrs. Todd laughed as the house came into view. "It's
twenty years since I opened that front door but, bless my soul, I know

that everything is going to be just the same."
"Why, did you ever live here?" Janet looked at her companion in
surprise.
"I did, and I was in this house almost as much as I was in my own.
Your father and I were the best of friends."
"Oh!" was all Janet had time to say, before Martha appeared at the
door.
Mrs. Todd nodded to her and tied the horse to the garden gate and
walked slowly up the narrow, moss-grown walk, a whimsical smile on
her thin face.
Martha was speechless, and Janet had to laugh as she watched her curl
one end of her apron into a hard little knot.
"Well, Martha," -- Mrs. Todd held out her hand -- "Don't look as
though you had seen a ghost."
Martha managed to say something, but she was quite powerless to stop
the visitor from striding into the house and walking unannounced into
Mrs. Page's room.
Janet sat down on the stone seat in the garden and waited. Boru
stretched out on the path at her feet and panted after his run. Not a
sound came from the house.
Janet did not try to imagine what was going on in her grandmother's
room. She was conscious that a big change had come into her life, and
she dimly realized that in the future she would spend more time in
thinking than she ever had before. It seemed as though she was
conscious of the world around her, and instead of just accepting it she
felt that she was a part of it.
"Janet Page," she said aloud, and she stared hard at the old sun-dial.
Suddenly Boru barked, and she jumped as though she had been

wakened from a dream. The dog rushed to the corner of the garden, and
Janet looked up just in time to see the rim of a torn straw hat disappear
over the wall.
CHAPTER FOUR
: JANET'S KINGDOM
Janet did not have time to investigate further, for at that moment
Martha beckoned her mysteriously into the house. It was plain to be
seen that the old servant was greatly disturbed.
"What's the matter?" Janet inquired in a whisper, for she caught some
of the suspense.
"Oh, Miss Janet, whatever shall we do?" Martha exclaimed. "Mrs.
Todd walked into your grandmother's room, and they have been
arguing ever since. Your grandmother will have a turn I know, and yet I
don't dare interrupt them. What shall I do?"
It was a proof of the Great Change to be consulted, and Janet smiled
with something like pride.
"I shouldn't do anything if I were you," she replied quietly. "Perhaps
they are not arguing any more. They may just be talking; they're old
friends, you know."
Martha shot a quick glance toward the closed door. "Old friends," she
said, and then, thinking better of it, she did not finish the sentence, but
said instead, "Sit down to your luncheon, child, do; it's getting cold and
there's no reason to wait."
Janet nodded and went into the dining-room. She took a long time over
her chops and sweet potatoes, but she finished without hearing the door
to her grandmother's room open.
Martha was almost in tears. "Your grandmother has had no luncheon,"
she protested. "Dearie me, what shall I do?"

"Take my advice and wait until she calls you," Janet advised. "You
know she doesn't like to be disturbed. I'm going out," she added. "No,
Boru, you can't come to-day; stay home, like a good dog."
Boru buried his head in his paws and with a very mournful expression
watched her leave. He knew there was one mysterious place to which
he was never allowed to accompany his mistress and he resented it. He
was right in guessing that she was going there to-day.
Janet left the house by the door that led to the steps and down to the sea
road. The water looked sparkling blue and inviting, and she hurried
along until she came to a small dock, very much the worse for age. She
untied a row boat and found two broken oars that were hidden in the
tall grass beside the road. There was no one in sight as she pushed off,
and only a few sails were flapping smartly out beyond the harbor.
Her cheeks were flushed as she sent the old boat skimming over the
water, for she was on her way to her secret kingdom.