I noticed that Mrs. Maberley sighed and shook her head when I spoke of
Miss Hamilton. As I warmed to my subject, and praised her beauty and
gentleness and intelligence, she sighed still more.

'Yes, she is a dear girl, a dear good girl; but she has never been the
same since Eric went. Does she talk to you about Eric, Miss Garston? Etta
says she talks of nothing else to her.'

I opened my eyes rather widely at this statement, for I could not forget
what Miss Hamilton had said to me that night: 'I have never spoken to any
one about Eric.' Was it likely that she would choose Miss Darrell for a
_confidante_? But I kept my incredulity to myself, and simply related to
Mrs. Maberley the circumstance that I had seen the photograph by accident
the previous evening, and only knew then that Miss Hamilton had had a
twin-brother.

'How very singular!' she observed, putting down her tea-cup in a hurry.
'I should have thought every one in the place would have spoken about the
young man, he was such a favourite; and it was no use Mr. Hamilton trying
to keep it a secret. Why, the postmaster's wife told me before Eric had
been gone twenty-four hours, and then I went to Mr. Cunliffe. Why, child,
do you mean your uncle has never told you about it?'

'Oh no, Uncle Max never repeats anything; he would be the last person
from whom I should hear it.'

'And yet he was up at Gladwyn every day,--ay, twice a day; and people
said--But what an old gossip I am! Well, about poor Eric, there can be
no harm in your knowing what all the world knows, even Marvel and Tracy;
it is a very sore subject with poor Mr. Hamilton, and no one dares to
mention Eric's name to him; but, as Etta says, Gladys can never hold her
tongue about him when they two are alone together.' I certainly held mine
at that moment. I began to wonder what Miss Darrell would say next.

'So you have seen his picture, Miss Garston, my dear: well, now, is it
not a beautiful face?--not sufficiently manly, as the colonel says; but
then, poor fellow, he had not a strong character. Still, it was a lovely
sight to see them together: our gardens join, you know, and often and
often, as I have sat under our beech, I have seen Gladys and Eric walking
up and down the little avenue, with his arm round her, and their two
heads shining like gold, and she would be talking to him and smiling
in his face, until it made me quite young to see them.'

'Wait a moment, Mrs. Maberley, please. I am deeply