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He was frankly shocked by the Chapel。 〃That's not the way to get into heaven；〃 he said。 〃We must be more patient than that。 The daily round； the daily task； that's the kind。〃
His physical presence began to pervade all her doings。 He was not handsome； but so clean； so rosy； and so strong。 No mystery about him； no terrors； no invasions from the devil。 Everything was clear and certain。 He knew just where he was and exactly whither he was going。 One afternoon； when they were out in the motor together； he took Maggie's hand under the rug and he held it so calmly； so firmly； with so kindly a benevolence that she could not be frightened or uncomfortable。 He was like a large friendly brother 。 。 。
One day he called her Maggie。 He blushed and laughed。 〃I'm so sorry；〃 he said。 〃It slipped out。 I caught it from Katherine。〃
〃Oh； please； 。 。 。 never mind；〃 she answered。 〃Miss Cardinal's so stiff。〃
〃Then you must call me Paul；〃 he said。
A little conversation that Maggie had after this with Millicent showed her in sharp relief exactly where she stood in relation to the Trenchard family。 They had been out in the motor together。 Millie had been shopping and now they were rolling back through the Park。
〃Are you happy with us； Maggie？〃 Millicent suddenly asked。
〃Very happy；〃 Maggie answered。
〃Well； I hope you are；〃 said Millicent。 〃I don't think that as a family we're very good at making any one happy except ourselves。 I think we're very selfish。〃
〃No； I don't think you're selfish；〃 said Maggie； 〃but I think you're sufficient for yourselves。 I don't fancy you really want any one from outside。〃
〃No； I don't think the others do。 I do though。 You don't suppose I'm going to stay in the Trenchard bosom for ever； do you？ I'm not； I assure you。 But what you've said means that you don't really feel at home with us。〃
〃I don't think I want to feel at home with you；〃 Maggie answered。 〃I don't belong to any of you。 Contrast us； for instance。 You've got everythinggood looks； money； cleverness； position。 You can get what you like out of life。 I've got nothing。 I'm plain； poor； awkward； uneducatedand yet you know I wouldn't change places with any one。 I'd rather be myself than any one alive。〃
〃Yes； you would；〃 said Millicent； nodding her head。 〃That's you all over。 I felt it the moment you came into the house。 You're adventurous。 We're not。 Katherine was adventurous for a moment when she married Philip； but she soon slipped back again。 But you'll do just what you want to always。〃
〃I shall have to；〃 said Maggie； laughing。 〃There's no one else to do it for me。 It isn't only that I don't belong to youI've never belonged to any one； only one personand he's gone now。 I belong to himand he'll never come back。〃
〃Were you frightfully in love？〃 asked Millie； deeply interested。
〃Yes；〃 said Maggie。
〃He oughtn't to have gone away like that；〃 said Millicent。
〃Yes； he ought；〃 said Maggie。 〃He was quite right。 But don't let's bother about that。 I've got to find some place now where I can work。 The worst of it is I'm so ignorant。 But there must be something that I ran do。〃
〃There's Paul；〃 said Millie。
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Maggie。
〃Oh； he cares like anything for you。 You must have noticed。 It began after the first time he met you。 He was always asking about you。 Of course every one's noticed it。〃
〃Cares for me；〃 Maggie repeated。
〃Yes； of course。 He's wanted to marry for a long time。 Tired of Grace bossing him； I expect。 That doesn't sound very polite to you； but I know that he cares for you apart from thatfor yourself； I mean。 And I expect Grace is tired of housekeeping。〃
Maggie's feelings were very strange。 Why should he care about her？ Did she want him to care？ A strange friendly feeling stole about her heart。 She was not alone then； after all。 Some one wanted her； wanted her so obviously that every one had noticed itdid not want her as Martin had wanted her； against his own will and judgment。 If he did offer her his home what would she feel？
There was rest there； rest and a real home； a home that she had never in all her life known。 Of course she did not love him in the least。 His approach did not make her pulses beat a moment faster； she did not long for him to come when he was not therebut he wanted her！ That was the great thing。 He wanted her！
〃Of course if he asked you； you wouldn't really think of marrying him？〃 said Millicent。
〃I don't know；〃 said Maggie slowly。
〃What！ Marry him and live in Skeaton！〃 Millicent was frankly amazed。 〃Why； Skeaton's awful； and the people in it are awful； and Grace is awful。 In the summer it's all nigger…minstrels and bathing…tents； and in the winter there isn't a soul〃 Millicent shivered。
Maggie smiled。 〃Of course it seems dull to you； but my life's been very different。 It hasn't been very exciting； and if I could really help him〃 she broke off。 〃I do like him；〃 she said。 〃He's the kindest man I've ever met。 Of course he seems dull to you who have met all kinds of brilliant people。 I hate brilliant people。〃
The car was in Bryanston Square。 Just before it stopped Millie bent over and kissed Maggie。
〃I think you're a darling；〃 she said。
But Millie didn't think Maggie 〃a darling〃 for longthat is； she did not think about her at all for long； none of the family did。
So quiet was Maggie； so little in any one's way that； at the end of a fortnight； she made no difference to any one in the house。 She was much better now； looking a different person； colour in her cheeks and light in her eyes。 During her illness they had cut her hair and this made her look more than ever like a boy。 She wore her plain dark dresses； black and dark blue； they never quite fitted and； with her queer odd face； her high forehead； rather awkward mouth； and grave questioning eyes she gave you the impression that she had been hurried into some disguise and was wearing it with discomfort but amusement。 Some one who met her at the Trenchards at this time said of her： 〃What a funny girl！ She's like a schoolboy dressed up to play a part in the school speeches。〃 Of course she was not playing a part； no one could have been more entirely natural and honest； but she was odd； strange； out of her own world； and every one felt it。
It was； perhaps； this strangeness that attracted Paul Trenchard。 He was； above everything； a kindly man…kindly； perhaps a little through laziness； but nevertheless moved always by distress or misfortune in others。 Maggie was not distressedshe was quite cheerful and entirely unsentimentalnevertheless she had been very ill； was almost penniless； had had some private trouble； was au orphan； had no friends save two old aunts； and was amazingly ignorant of the world。
This last was； perhaps； the thing that struck him most of all。 He； too； was ignorant of the world； but he didn't know that； and he was amazed at the things that Maggie brushed aside as unimportant。 He found that he was beginning to think of her as 〃my little heathen。〃 His attitude was the same as that of a good missionary discovering a naked but trusting native。
The thought of training this virgin mind was delightful to him。
He liked her quaintness； and one day suddenly； to his own surprise； when they were alone in the drawing…room； he kissed her； a most chaste kiss； gently on the forehead。
〃Oh。 my dear child〃 he said in a kind of dismay。
She looked up at him with complete confidence。 So gentle a kiss had it been that it had been no more than a pressure of the hand。
A few days later Katherine spoke to her。 She came up to her bedroom just as Maggie was beginning to undress。 Maggie stood in front of the glass； her evening frock off； brushing her short thick hair before the glass。
〃Have you made any plans yet； dear？〃 asked Katherine。
Maggie shook her head。
〃No。〃 she said。 〃Not yet。〃
Katherine hesitated。
〃I've got a confession to make；〃 she said at last。
Maggie turned to look at her with her large childish eyes。
〃Oh； I do hope you've done something wrong；〃 she said； laughing；〃 something really bad that I should have to 'overlook。'〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Katherine。
Maggie only said： 〃We'd be more on a level then。〃
〃I don't think it's anything very bad。 But the truth is； Maggie； that I didn't ask you here only for my own pleasure and to make you well。 There was a third reason。〃
〃I know；〃 said Maggie； 〃Paul。〃
〃My dear！〃 said Katherine； amazed。 〃How did you guess？ I never should have done。〃
〃Paul's asked you to find out whether I like him；〃 said Maggie。
〃Yes；〃 said Katherine。
〃Well； I do like him。〃 said Maggie。
〃Don't think that I've been unfair；〃 said Katherine。 They were sitting now side by side on Maggie's bed and Katherine's hand was on Maggie's knee。 〃I'll tell you exactly how it happened。 Paul was interested in you from the moment that he saw you at my house ever so long ago。 He asked ever so many questions about you； and the next time he stayed he wanted me to write and ask you to come and stay。 Well； I didn't。 I knew from what you told me that you cared for somebody else； and I didn't want to get Paul really fond of you if it was going to be no good。 You see； I've known Paul for ages。 He's nearly ten years older than I； but he used to come an