there was a blaze of light and Something in
the middle. And then a voice spoke and told Mr. Warlock that on the
last night of this year everything would be fulfilled."

"What did He mean?" asked Maggie.

"Different people think He meant different things," said Caroline. "Of
course there's most fearful excitement about it. Mr. Warlock's had two
since."

"Two what?" asked Maggie.

"Two visions. Just like the first. The blazing light and the voice and
telling him that the last night of the year's to be the time." Caroline
then began to be carried away by her excitement. She talked faster and
faster. "Oh! You don't know what a state every one's in! It's causing
all sorts of divisions. First there are all his own real believers.
Miss Pyncheon, your aunts, and the others. My father's one. They all
believe every word he says. They're all quite certain that the last day
of this year is to be the time of the Second Coming. They won't any of
them, look a minute further than that. Father doesn't care a bit now
what mother does with the money because, he says, we shan't want any
next year. Mother isn't so sure so she's taking as much care of it as
ever, and of course it's nice for her now to have it all in her own
hands. They're all of them doing everything to make themselves ready.
It doesn't matter how aggravating you are, father never loses his
temper now. He's so sweet that it's maddening. Haven't you noticed how
good your aunts are?"

"They're always the same," said Maggie.

"Well. I expect they're different really. Then there's the middle-class
like Mr. Thurston and Miss Avies who pretend to believe all that Mr.
Warlock says, but of course, they don't believe a word of it, and they
hope that this will prove his ruin. They know there won't be any Second
Coming on New Year's Eve, and then they think he will be finished and
they'll be able to get rid of him. So they're encouraging him to
believe in all this, and then when the moment comes they'll turn on
him!"

"Beasts!" said Maggie suddenly.

"Well, I daresay you're right," said Caroline. "Only it does make me
laugh, all of it. Thurston and Miss Avies have all their plans made,
only now they're quarrelling because Thurston wants to marry Amy
Warlock and Miss Avies meant him to marry her!"

"Is Mr. Thurston going to marry Miss Warlock?" cried Maggie.

"So they say," said Caroline again watching Maggie curiously. "Well,
anyway, Miss Avies is the strongest of the lot