d for him beside his father,
old Mr. Baggs stood and looked down, as he had done when Henry Ironsyde
came to his grave.

"Life, how short--eternity, how long," he said to John Best.

Ernest Churchouse opened the door of the mourning coach as he had done
on the previous occasion, and Miss Ironsyde alighted, followed by
Raymond. He had come. But he had changed even to the visible eye. The
least observing were able to mark differences of voice and manner.

Raymond's nature had responded to the stroke of circumstance with
lightning swiftness. The pressure of his position, thus suddenly
relieved, caused a rebound, a liberation of the grinding tension. It
remained to be seen what course he might now pursue; yet those who knew
him best anticipated no particular reaction. But when he returned it was
quickly apparent that tremendous changes had already taken place in the
young man's outlook on life and that, whatever his future line of
conduct might be, he realised very keenly his altered position. He was
now free of all temporal cares; but against that fact he found himself
faced with great new responsibilities.

Remorse hit him hard, but he was through the worst of that, and life had
become so tremendous, that he could not for very long keep his thoughts
on death.

At his brother's funeral he allowed his eye to rest on no familiar face
and cast no recognising glance at man or woman. He was haggard and pale,
but more than that: a new expression had come into his countenance.
Already consciousness of possession marked him. He had grasped the fact
of the change far quicker than Daniel had grasped it after their
father's death.

He was returning immediately with his aunt to Bridport; but Mr.
Churchouse broke through the barrier and spoke to him as he entered the
carriage.

"Won't you see Sabina before you go, Raymond? You must realise that,
even under these terrible conditions, we cannot delay. I understand she
wrote to you when you came back; but that you have not answered her
letter. As things are it seems to me you might like to be quietly and
privately married away from Bridetown?"

Raymond hardly seemed to hear.

"I can't talk about that now. A great deal falls upon me at present. I
am enormously busy and have to take up the threads of all poor Daniel
was doing in the North. There is nobody but myself, in my opinion, who
can go through with it. I return to London to-night."

"But Sabina?"

Raymond answered calm