nly a temporary
thing, and if she bore it calmly it would soon pass. Or, even if it
delayed, there was the analogy of the winter which for more than four
months of the year numbed the earth, often with weeping rain and frost,
but, however severe it should be, there was always the tender springtime
following, and glorious summer, and then the fulfillment of autumn and
its fruits. So she _must not_ be cast down--she must have faith and not
tremble.

She made herself converse gently with her stepfather's wife, and won her
liking before they reached Paddington station. If she had not been so
highly strung and preoccupied, she would have been thrilled in all her
fine senses at the idea of leaving Upminster, further than which she had
never been for the twelve long years of her residence at La Sarthe
Chase; but now, except that all appeared a wild rush and a bewildering
noise, the journey to London made no impression upon her. It was
swallowed up in the one longing to get there--to be able somehow to
communicate with Cheiron, and have her anxiety laid to rest.

The newsboys were selling the evening papers when they arrived, but her
eyes, so unaccustomed to all these new sights, did not warn her to scan
the headlines, though as they were reaching Grosvenor Gardens where Mr.
Anderton's town-house was situated, she did see the words:
"Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs." The sheet had fallen
forward and only this line was visible.

They did not strike her very forcibly. She was quite unacquainted with
the custom of advertising sensational news in London. It might be the
usual political announcements--it surely was, since she saw another
sheet as they got to the door with "Crisis in the Cabinet" upon it. And
it comforted her greatly. John, of course, was concerned with this, and
had been summoned back suddenly, having had no possible time to let her
know. He who was so true an Englishman must think of his country first.
It seemed like an answer to her prayers, and enabled her to go in and
greet her stepfather with calm and quiet.

James Anderton had come from the city in the best of tempers. The day
had been a good one. He had received his wife's telegram announcing that
Halcyone would accompany her on her return, and awaited her arrival with
a certain amount of uneasy curiosity and interest. Would the girl be
still so terribly like Elaine and the rest of the La Sarthe--especially
Timothy, that scapegrace, handsome