constantly with her. Marshall had not yet resumed work, but he was in
poor spirits from the loss of his wife, and could hardly be a comfort to
the poor creature. I put off my visit to Phoebe until the evening, and
walked up to Gladwyn with Jill; she and Lady Betty were going for a walk,
and were to have tea with the Maberleys. I learned afterwards that Mr.
Tudor met them quite accidentally about three miles from Heathfield, and
had accompanied them to Maplehurst, where he made himself so pleasant to
the old lady that he was pressed to remain. Oh, Mr. Tudor, I am afraid
you are not quite so artless as you look! I began to wish Aunt Philippa
would soon recall Jill.

I found Miss Hamilton alone, and she seemed very glad to see me; her fair
face quite flushed with pleasure when she saw me enter the drawing-room.

'I was afraid it was some stupid visitor,' she said frankly, 'when I
heard the door-bell ring. Did it trouble you to come? How tired you look!
there, you shall take Giles's chair,' putting me with gentle force in a
big blue-velvet chair that always stood by the fire; and then she took
off my wraps and unfastened my gloves, and made me feel how glad she was
to wait on me.

'You are going away,' I said, rather lugubriously, for I felt all at
once how I should miss her. She looked a little better and brighter, I
thought, or was it only temporary excitement?

'Yes,' she returned seriously, but not sadly, 'I think it will be better.
I am almost glad to go away, except that I shall not see you,' looking at
me affectionately.

'Oh, if you wish to go,' for I was so relieved to hear her say this.

'It is not that I wish it, exactly, but that I feel it will be better:
things are so uncomfortable just now, more than usual, I think. Etta
seems always worrying herself and me; sometimes I fancy that she wants
to get rid of me, that I am too troublesome,' with a faint smile. 'She
worries about my health and want of spirits. I suppose I am rather a
depressing element in the house, and, as I get rather tired of all this
fuss, I think it will be better to leave it behind for a little.'

'That sounds as though you were driven away from home, Miss Hamilton.'

'Miss Hamilton!' reproachfully; 'that is naughty, Ursula. I do not call
you Miss Garston.'

'Gladys, then.'

'Perhaps my restlessness is driving me away,' she returned sadly. 'I do
feel so restless without my work. I never minded Etta's fussiness so
much. I daresay she