green cock's feathers, her short, workman-like skirt and belted
coat.

Down the short path from the Rectory door to the gate the rector
himself was coming. Mrs Macmichel bowed a condescending head as she
passed on, receiving no form of salutation but a stare from a pair of
vacant eyes in return.

"Well, really! Such people!" the lady said to herself, as she walked
disdainfully on. "Even _here_ you would expect a man would know he is
always expected to take off his hat when a woman bows to him!"

"Mrs Macmichel!" a voice said at her back. A hand was laid upon her
arm. She turned a look of astonished questioning upon the man who had
ventured to touch her.

"Stop, please," he said; his voice was breathless as of one in great
agitation. "Mrs Macmichel, I think you owe my wife a call? I want you
to pay it now--at once----"

"It is very kind of you; I----"

"You mustn't make excuses. You mustn't deny me. You must go; and you
must--stay."

The thought that he might be mad was succeeded as she looked in his
face by the thought that he must be ill. The healthy colour natural to
them had left his large cheeks, their fatness was only flabbiness, the
small eyes were filled with a strange, pleading, protesting misery as
of a man in terrible bodily discomfort.

"Mr Jones, I am afraid you are not well?"

He stopped her with an impatiently thrown-up hand. "It's not that--I'm
all right. It's worse--it's my son----"

"The sailor?"

"News has come that the _Doughty_ has gone down. All lost."

"Your son was in that ship?"

He did not answer, but pressed his lips, which were piteously
quivering, together, and looked at her in staring misery.

"I am going into the village to wire for--confirmation. Till I return
you must keep with my wife."

"But, Mr Jones! I am deeply, deeply sorry; but you must let me
telegraph, and you, yourself, stay with Mrs Jones."

"No. She would know as soon as she saw my face. I stole away--I dare
not see her." He stayed a minute, biting at lips drawn inward over his
teeth. "Our only one!" he said. "No other! When I know--when there is
no hope--no hope--I must tell her. I could wish that she might die
before--that we might both die."

Tears had gushed upon the flabby cheeks; he mumbled his lips for a
minute, unable to speak.

"If there was anything else I could do--anything!" Mrs Macmichel said.
"But this----!"

"You will watch over her till I come back," he said, not even noticing
her re