that morning. A dog-cart! Imagination failed to picture the
picturesque figure of Madame perched on the high seat of that
undignified vehicle. If the cart had not conveyed the mother, it must,
in all probability, have conveyed the son. The dog-cart had been
_waiting_! The deduction was obvious to the meanest intellect.
Geoffrey Greville had driven down to see Elma the morning after her
departure, and had spent a considerable time in her society!

Suddenly Cornelia realised that her anxiety could brook no delay, and
that it would be impossible to spend another night without discovering
how the Moss Rose had fared during her absence. She despatched Mary to
The Holt with a verbal message to the effect that she had returned from
town, and, if convenient, would much like to see Miss Ramsden for a few
minutes before six o'clock, and while she was still at tea the answer
was received; a note this time, written in pencil, and bearing marks of
haste and agitation.

"Dearest Cornelia,--Yes, of course! I _am_ thankful you are back.
Come right up to my room. It's perfectly wretched here, but I'm so
happy! Elma."

Cornelia rolled her eyes to the ceiling, and indulged in an expressive
whistle. Contradictory as Elma's epistle might have appeared to an
ordinary reader, she understood it readily enough. It was Mrs Ramsden
who was wretched, Elma who was happy--"_so_ happy," despite the
atmosphere of disapproval. The crisis had arrived!

In five minutes' time, Cornelia was in her friend's room, holding her
hands, gazing into her face, kissing her flaming cheeks.

"Elma, _is_ it? It is! I can see it in your face! Oh, you dear thing!
When? How? I'm crazy to know. Tell me every single thing."

Elma laughed; a delicious little laugh of conscious happiness.

"Yes, yes, it is! Oh, Cornelia, isn't it wonderful? I can't believe
it! It's partly your doing, you know, and I love you for that, but
doesn't it seem impossible that he can really care for--_me_!" She
turned her exquisite, flower-like face towards her friend, with an
expression of humility as sweet as it was sincere. "He might have had
anybody, and he chooses--_me_! Oh, Cornelia, I never knew that one
could live, and be so happy! It seems like a dream."

"Wake up, then, and get down to facts! I'm crazy to hear all about it.
When was it settled?"

"This morning."

"Only this morning! I calculated it would come off Monday at latest."

"No, it d