and attend to the affairs of her small
household, and making their plans for the day. Aunt Catharine was
arranging everything in her usual capable way. Grannie nodded her head
in approval, looking the very picture of a sweet, high-bred old lady;
while Auntie Alice agreed to all her sister suggested, as was her placid
wont. She appeared contented and at ease, yet from time to time an
anxious, far-away look would unconsciously creep into her eyes and
shadow her gentle face when she thought of the little ones at home,
wondering how they were all getting on--whether Eric's new tooth had
come properly through; if Darby was being an obedient boy and taking
good care of Joan.

The click of the garden-gate attracted their attention, and immediately
after a whistling telegraph-boy passed the window and the China roses on
his way to the hall door. Auntie Alice rose from the breakfast-table
with a queer, fluttering feeling about her heart, and hurried to meet
the messenger. She took the rustling, brick-coloured envelope from his
hand, and in another instant the message dictated with much anxiety by
Mr. Grey lay open before the alarmed ladies,--

"Come home at once. Darby and Joan missing since yesterday."

"Oh, my dears, my dears! Sister, sister! why did we leave them?" was the
cry that broke from Auntie Alice's trembling lips. It was but the
expression of a nameless dread which had weighed upon her ever since she
started from Firgrove, leaving Darby standing looking after them, with
that expression in his eyes of such perfect purity and peace.

Grannie's thoughts flashed like lightning from the lost children to the
absent father. She was not a woman of many words, and made little
outward sign of the sorrow that had suddenly seized upon her. She just
hid her patient face in her thin white hands, murmuring brokenly,--

"Oh, Guy, Guy! my son, my son!"

"Well, I declare! One would think those two had never got into a scrape
before from the way you are going on," said Miss Turner sharply,
addressing her sister, yet casting a glance of disapproval in the
direction of Mrs. Dene. "It was only the other day that they went
wandering into Copsley Wood; and here, when we were ready to set out in
search of them, didn't they turn up as cool as you please, smiling as
sweetly as a couple of cherubs! Mr. Grey is alarming us needlessly. He
and his wife are perfectly silly about those children! It was exactly
the same when Guy was a boy. He h