cita had told her some months ago that she must go to
Engelberg before she could give her consent to Felix marrying Alice, but
it had escaped her memory, pushed out by more immediate and more present
cares. And now she could not tell what Jean Merle would have her do. To
discover suddenly that he was alive, and in England, nay, at
Riversborough itself, under their old roof, would be too great a shock
for Felicita. Phebe dared not tell her. Yet, to let her start off alone
on this fruitless errand, to find only an empty hut at Engelberg, with
no trace of its occupant left behind, was heartless, and might prove
equally injurious to Felicita. There was no time to communicate with
Riversborough, she must come to a decision for herself, and at once. The
white, worn face, with its air of sad determination, filled her with
deep and eager pity.

"Oh! I will go with you," she cried. "I could never bear you to go
alone. But is there nothing you can tell me? Only trust me. What trouble
carries you there? Why must you go to Engelberg before Felix marries?"

She had caught Felicita's small cold hand between her own and looked up
beseechingly into her face. Oh! if she would but now, at last, throw off
the burden which had so long bowed her down, and tell her secret, she
could let her know that this painful pilgrimage was utterly needless.
But the sweet, sad, proud lips were closed, and the dark eyes looking
down steadily into Phebe's, betrayed no wavering of her determined
reticence.

"You shall come with me as far as Lucerne, dear Phebe," she answered,
stooping down to kiss her uplifted face, "but I must go alone to
Engelberg."

There was barely time enough for Phebe to make any arrangements, there
was not a moment for deliberation. She wrote a few hurried words to Jean
Merle, imploring him to follow them at once, and promising to detain
Felicita on their way, if possible. Felicita's own preparations were
complete, and her route marked out, with the time of steamers and trains
set down. Through Paris, Mulhausen, and Basle she hastened on to
Lucerne. Now she had set out on this dreary and dolorous path there
could be no rest for her until she reached the end. Phebe recognized
this as soon as they had started. It would be impossible to detain
Felicita on the way.

But Jean Merle could not be far behind them, a few hours would bring him
to them after they had reached Lucerne. Felicita was very silent as they
travelled on by the sw