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.