‘Is he one of the quarter-educated?’ asked Dora, laughing.
‘Not in Whelpdale’s sense of the word. But, strictly speaking, no doubt he is. The quarter-educated constitute a very large class indeed; how large, the huge success of that paper is demonstrating. I’ll write to Whelpdale, and let him know that his benefaction has extended even to Sark.’
This letter was written, and in a few days there came a reply.
‘Why, the fellow has written to you as well!’ exclaimed Jasper, taking up a second letter; both were on the table of their sitting-room when they came to their lodgings for lunch. ‘That’s his hand.’
‘It looks like it.’
Dora hummed an air as she regarded the envelope, then she took it away with her to her room upstairs.
‘What had he to say?’ Jasper inquired, when she came down again and seated herself at the table.
‘Oh, a friendly letter. What does he say to you?’
Dora had never looked so animated and fresh of colour since leaving London; her brother remarked this, and was glad to think that the air of the Channel should be doing her so much good. He read Whelpdale’s letter aloud; it was facetious, but oddly respectful.
‘The reverence that fellow has for me is astonishing,’ he observed with a laugh. ‘The queer thing is, it increases the better he knows me.’