s commanding a view of the front, and
reflected a while. His entry would not be altogether unnatural in the
circumstances of her possible indisposition; but upon the whole he
thought it best to avoid riding up to the door. By silently approaching
he could retreat unobserved in the event of her not being alone.
Thereupon he dismounted, hitched Darling to a stray bough hanging a
little below the general browsing line of the trees, and proceeded to
the door on foot.

In the mean time Melbury had returned from Shottsford-Forum. The great
court or quadrangle of the timber-merchant's house, divided from the
shady lane by an ivy-covered wall, was entered by two white gates, one
standing near each extremity of the wall. It so happened that at the
moment when Fitzpiers was riding out at the lower gate on his way to
the Manor House, Melbury was approaching the upper gate to enter it.
Fitzpiers being in front of Melbury was seen by the latter, but the
surgeon, never turning his head, did not observe his father-in-law,
ambling slowly and silently along under the trees, though his horse too
was a gray one.

"How is Grace?" said his wife, as soon as he entered.

Melbury looked gloomy. "She is not at all well," he said. "I don't
like the looks of her at all. I couldn't bear the notion of her biding
away in a strange place any longer, and I begged her to let me get her
home. At last she agreed to it, but not till after much persuading. I
was then sorry that I rode over instead of driving; but I have hired a
nice comfortable carriage--the easiest-going I could get--and she'll be
here in a couple of hours or less. I rode on ahead to tell you to get
her room ready; but I see her husband has come back."

"Yes," said Mrs. Melbury. She expressed her concern that her husband
had hired a carriage all the way from Shottsford. "What it will cost!"
she said.

"I don't care what it costs!" he exclaimed, testily. "I was determined
to get her home. Why she went away I can't think! She acts in a way
that is not at all likely to mend matters as far as I can see." (Grace
had not told her father of her interview with Mrs. Charmond, and the
disclosure that had been whispered in her startled ear.) "Since Edgar
is come," he continued, "he might have waited in till I got home, to
ask me how she was, if only for a compliment. I saw him go out; where
is he gone?"

Mrs. Melbury did not know positively; but she told her husband that
there