praying.

"O Christ Jesus, Redeemer of mankind, why hast Thou deserted me? O God
the Father, Lord and Judge, why dost Thou torment me so?"

XXIX

Very early in the morning he told Mavis that he felt sure they ought
to send Norah away on a holiday for the good of her health.

"This hot weather has been a severe test for all of us," he said; "and
of course what I should consider equally advisable would be to send
you and the children along with her, but I suppose--"

"What, me go away just when you're going to cut the grass!"

"Very well," he said, "I won't urge it. But as to Norah, that's a
decision I've come to; so please don't question it. She's been working
too hard--"

"Did she complain to you yesterday, when you lectured her?"

"No. Not a word. An' she'll prob'ly resist the idea. But she must be
overruled, because my mind is made up. So now the only question that
remains is--where are you to send her? What about that place for
servants resting--at Bournemouth, the place Mrs. Norton collects
subscriptions for?"

"Yes, I might ask Mrs. Norton if she could spare us a ticket."

"No, send the girl as a paying guest. I don't grudge any reasonable
expense. Or again there's Mrs. Creech's daughter-in-law, over at
S'thaampton Water."

"Oh, there's half a dozen people I could think of--"

"All right," he said; "but I want it done now, straight away. And
look here, Mav. Take this thing off my shoulders, and don't let me be
bothered. I shouldn't have decided it, if I didn't know it was right.
I've a long and difficult day before me. You just hop into the gig,
and Tom'll drive you round--to see Mrs. Norton or anybody else. Only
let me hear by dinner-time that the arrangement is made."

"You shall," said Mavis cheerfully.

"Thank you, Mav. You're always a trump. You never fail one."

What had seemed an insuperable difficulty was thus in a moment
accomplished. His quietly authoritative tone had made Mavis accept the
thing not only easily but without a doubt or question, and he thought
remorsefully that, except for his sneaking, cowardly delay, all this
might have occurred a month ago. He felt a distinct lightening of the
trouble as he went back into his own room, and then the weight of it
fell upon him again. He had succeeded so far as Mavis was concerned;
but how about Norah?

He stood meditating in front of the looking-glass before he began to
shave. When he picked up the shaving-brush, he noticed tha