matters of importance revealed?

Life seemed all to lie ahead; yet from time to time her thoughts drifted
back unconsciously to Donald Maclure, and lingered on the memory. She
had not seen him since the eventful afternoon, but Eleanor had conveyed
his good wishes for a happy visit, and her manner showed she was in
ignorance of what had occurred.

Ruth was grateful for a silence which left her friendship untouched, and
her thoughts of the doctor were gentle and kindly.

"But I couldn't--I couldn't!" she said to herself excusingly. "I don't
want to marry anyone yet. I just want to be young and happy, and have a
good time!"

At the half-way station the tea-basket made its appearance, and the
girls sat side by side taking turns at the cup, and nibbling at bread-
and-butter and plum-cake like two happy children out for a holiday,
which in good truth they were.

They made a pretty picture, and more than one of the passengers upon the
platform cast admiring glances as they passed by. So far, the carriage
had been empty, except for themselves; but, just as the train was
preparing to leave the junction, a young man turned the handle of the
door, threw a bag on the seat, and leapt in after it. He was on the
point of seating himself in the place which Ruth had just vacated, but,
seeing the scattered papers, checked himself, and took possession of the
further corner, while the sisters studied him furtively from time to
time.

He was tall, he was handsome, he was probably about thirty years of age,
and he looked thoroughly bored and out of temper. After one casual
glance at the pretty sisters, he unfolded a newspaper, and turned from
page to page seeking for some item of interest. His eyes were blue, he
was clean-shaven, his nose was aquiline, and his nostrils were arched,
and had a trick of dilation.

"Like a high-bred horse, who wouldn't like the bridle a single bit," was
Mollie's comment, as she turned back to the window; for, after all, the
unknown landscape through which the train was now passing was more
absorbing than the appearance of a stranger who took so little interest
in herself.

She gazed and whispered, and dreamed afresh, until at last the name of a
familiar station gave warning that the journey was nearing its end. In
another ten minutes the train was due to reach Nosely, and in the
interval there was much to be done. Ruth solemnly lifted down the aged
dressing-bag, which dated from her mother's