she said.

"And that hypocritical minister of theirs hasn't been at you again?"

"Mr. Warlock's dead," she answered very quietly.

"Warlock dead!" Uncle Mathew half rose from his chair in his
astonishment. "That fellow dead! Well, I'm damned, indeed I am. That
fellow--! Well, there's a good riddance! I know it isn't good form to
speak about a man who's kicked the bucket otherwise than kindly, but he
was a weight on my chest that fellow was, with his long white beard and
his soft voice ... Well, well. To be sure! Whatever will my poor
sisters do? And what's happened to that young chap, his son, nice lad
he was, took dinner with us that day last year?"

"He's gone away," said Maggie. Mathew, stupid though he was, heard
behind the quiet of Maggie's voice a warning. He flung her a hurried
surreptitious look. Her face was perfectly composed, her hands still
upon her lap. Nevertheless he said to himself, "Danger there, my boy!
Something's happened there!"

And yet his curiosity drove him for a moment further.

"Gone, has he? Where to?"

"He went abroad," said Maggie, "after his father's death. I don't know
where he's gone."

"Oh, did he? Pity! Restless, I expect--I was at his age."

There was a little pause between them when Maggie sat very quietly
looking at her hands. Then, smiling, she glanced up and said:

"But tell me about yourself, Uncle Mathew. You've told me nothing."

He fidgeted a little, shifting his thick legs, stroking his nose with
his finger.

"I don't know that I've anything very good to tell you, my dear. Truth
is, I haven't been doing so very well lately."

"Oh, Uncle, I'm sorry!"

"It's nothing to make yourself miserable about, my dear. I always turn
my corners. Damn rocky ones they are sometimes too. Everything's turned
itself wrong these last weeks, either too soon or too late. I don't
complain, all the same it makes things a bit inconvenient. Thank you
for that five pounds you sent me, my dear, very helpful it was I can
tell you."

"Do you want another five pounds?" she asked him. He struggled with
himself. His hesitation was so obvious that it was quite touching. She
put her hand on his knee.

"Do have another five pounds, Uncle. It won't be difficult for me at
all. I've been spending nothing all these weeks when I've been ill.
Please do."

He shook his head firmly.

"No, my dear, I won't. As I came along I said to myself, 'Now, you'll
be asking Maggie for money, and when she s