t him through any
amount of doubt or mystery, and I told him as much as we stood by the
firelight together.

'I wish,' he said presently, 'that it was our wedding that was going to
take place to-morrow; and yet I don't know--perhaps it will be best for
you that it is not.'

A heavy sigh followed, and then we were both startled by the appearance
of a servant.

'A telegram, sir.'

Philip took it and turned to me.

'I must leave you. Darling child, don't look so distressed. I am
vexed that I should have to go before the wedding, but it is imperative
that I should. I must write and tell you my movements when I know
them. I shall just catch the 10.30 train to town if I go at once.
Hilda, say good-bye to me here before I go to the drawing-room. Trust
me, little one, and pray for me.'

I clung to him, for I still felt the shadow of a dark cloud hovering
over us. 'Why need you go? Where are you going? When are you coming
back again? We were to have travelled to your home together. Don't go
till you have told me more, Philip. You _must_ not leave me like this!'

He looked surprised at my vehemence. 'Dear child, you are overwrought.
I shall be back in a few days at the most, I hope. Good-bye, my
darling; God bless you and keep you!' And taking me in his arms, he
kissed me over and over again. I said no more, my tongue seemed tied,
and he left me standing by the fire, feeling as if a great unknown
trouble was settling down upon me.

I stayed there, heard his voice in the hall, and then a confused babel
of questions and exclamations from the others. When, a few minutes
later, I heard him leave the house, I flew upstairs to my room; I knew
from my window I should see a bend of the road along which he must
pass, and as I saw the trap driving rapidly along I leant out and waved
my handkerchief. He saw my signal. I suppose the light in my room and
the unclosed shutters to the windows helped him to do so, and taking up
the lantern in front of the trap he waved it to me. Then came a knock
at my door, and Mrs. Forsyth appeared. 'Do you know the reason of this
sudden disappearance, Hilda? I do wish sometimes Mr. Stanton were a
little more communicative.'

'It was a telegram,' I said, trying to speak quietly; 'only a matter of
business, he said, but it obliged him to go to London immediately.'

'It is very annoying. I was quite counting on his presence to-morrow.
We seem to have such a scarcity of men. Ar