wearied themselves
out, as it might be; and nature was in a great hush. Racks of vapour
were scattered overhead, slowly moving away in some current of air that
carried them; but below there was not a breath stirring. A little drip,
drip from the leaves only told how heavily they had been surcharged;
the long pendent branches of the elm hung moveless, as if they were
resting after last night's thrashing about. And as Diana looked, the
touches of gold began to come upon the hills and then on the tree-tops.
It was lovely and fair as ever; but to Diana it was a changed world.
She was not the same, and nothing would ever be just the same as
yesterday it had been. She felt that, as she looked. She had lost and
she had gained. Just now the loss came keenest. The world seemed
singularly empty. The noise of entering feet behind her brought her
back to common life. It was Josiah and the milk pails.

"Hain't set up all night, hev' ye?" was Josiah's startling remark. "I
vow! you get the start of the old lady herself. I b'ain't ready for
breakfast yet, if you be."

"It will be ready soon, Josiah."

"Mornin's is gettin' short," Josiah went on. "One o' them pesky barn
doors got loose in the night, and it's beat itself 'most off the
hinges, I guess. I must see and get it fixed afore Mis' Starlin's
round, or she'll be hoppin'. The wind was enough to take the ruff off,
but how it could lift that 'ere heavy latch, I don't see."

Diana went to the dairy without any discussion of the subject. Coming
back to the kitchen, she was equally startled and dismayed to see her
mother entering by the inner door. If there was one thing Diana longed
for this morning, it was, to be alone. Josiah and the farm boys were
hardly a hindrance. She had thought her mother could not be.

"Are you fit to be down-stairs, mother?" she exclaimed.

"Might as well be down as up," said Mrs. Starling. "Can't get well
lying in bed. I'm tired to death with it all these days; and last night
I couldn't sleep half the night; seemed to me I heard all sorts of
noises. If I'd had a light I'd ha' got up then. I thought the house was
coming down about my ears; and if it was, I'd rather be up to see."

"The wind blew so."

"You heard it too, did you? When did you come down, Diana? I hain't
heard the first sound of your door. 'Twarn't light, was it?"

"I have been up a good while. But you are not fit to do the least
thing, mother. I was going to bring you your breakfast.