elen went
swiftly towards it. She seemed to hesitate a moment before she entered,
and then she opened it, and closed it again behind her, standing silently
in front of it.

Dr. Howe looked up calmly, expecting to see Sally; but the sight of that
still figure, with eyes which looked at him with a curious fixedness,
sent the color from his face in one moment of actual fright. "Helen!" he
cried, springing to his feet. "Good heavens! child, what is it? What is
the matter?"

"I have come back," she answered, uttering each word with that peculiar
slowness one notices in a very sick person, who tries to hear himself
speak.

Dr. Howe had turned to light the lamp, but his hand shook, and Helen
absently steadied the shade until he raised the wick, and then fumbled
for his glasses, and turned to look at her. It was a relief to hear her
speak.

"My dear," he said, his voice still tremulous, "you alarmed me terribly.
Why, how wet you are!" He had laid his hand upon her shoulder to help her
take off her wraps. "Bless my soul, child, you're drenched! Did you come
in an open carriage? But why are you here? Did you miss your train?"

Even as he spoke, before she silently shook her head, he knew she would
have been back by noon had she missed her train.

Max had come and sniffed suspiciously at her skirts before he recognized
her, and then he rubbed his head against her knee, and reached up to be
patted. She let her hand rest a moment on his head, and then with cold,
stiff fingers tried to help her uncle take off her cloak, and lift her
bonnet from her dripping hair. She made no effort to wipe the rain from
her face, and Dr. Howe, with his big handkerchief, tried clumsily to do
it for her.

"What is the matter, my dear?" the rector was saying nervously. "Is
anything wrong with Mr. Ward? Have you had bad news? Tell me, my
darling; you distress me by your silence."

Helen's throat seemed dry, and she moved her lips once or twice before
the words came. "I have come back," she answered slowly, looking with
absent eyes at Max, who was furtively licking her hand. "I have had a
letter from John. So I have come back. I am very tired."

She looked wearily around, and swayed a little from side to side. Dr.
Howe caught her in his arms. "My dear," he said, in a frightened voice,
"my dear--you are very ill. I'll fetch Jean--I'll send for Adele!"

Helen laid her shaking hand upon his arm. "No, no,--I am not ill. I am
only tired. I walked