"Oh!" said Sidney with a long-drawn breath. "If a man is real in his feelings, he takes that very badly."
"Yes, but it ought not to spoil his life."
"It won't spoil Mr. Neville's."
"I hope not. He ranks himself as a failure, but that's mere surface talk. He is keen now on getting a Government appointment abroad. I hope he will. He is too good to be an idler, and he unfortunately has enough money to be that."
They accomplished their marketing and returned home. Sidney had a busy afternoon. Her uncle carried her off to his workshop directly lunch was over. He was erecting a small teahouse in the garden, and wanted her advice about the dimensions and shape of it. Then her father told her he wanted to drive over to inquire for an old friend of his, a Sir Peter Wood, who lived six miles off, and he would like her to accompany him.
When they came home, a woman from the village was waiting for her. One of her little Sunday scholars was very ill and wanted to see his teacher. Sidney went off promptly, and returned only just in time for dinner. And after dinner, she played chess with her uncle, sang to her father, and got no time to herself till bedtime arrived.
When she was at last alone her thoughts turned to Chuckles. She was a true child-lover, and had often longed to have a bigger bit of his company than was possible. Here was an opportunity. And the thought of all that might result from it, made her open her Bible and pray earnestly for guidance.
"It is a bit of building," she thought as she read to herself. "'Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus.' God's building, and if Jesus and His Life and Love are left out in a child's training, how can he be expected to thrive on stern duty and self-repression? Love makes it all so easy."
And as her mind dwelt on the theme of the New Testament her heart glowed within her.
"What does it matter about my broken prospects when I serve One Who never disappoints, Who never fails? He is a rock under my feet, and that gives me an idea for to-morrow. I will tell Chuckles the story of the builders on the rocks and the sand."