ing before John got home. He had made a
little harbour some miles off, and glad to make it, and had been
compelled to lay there until daybreak. He was weary and silent. He
said it would have gone hard with him had not Tris been at his right
hand. Then he looked anxiously at Denas, and when she did not give him
a smile or a word, he sat down by the fire much depressed and
exhausted. For he saw that his child had a hard, angry heart toward
him, and he felt how useless it was to try and explain or justify his
dealings with her.

It was now Wednesday, and Denas burned with shame when she thought
how readily she had listened to so careless a lover. No word of any
kind came from Elizabeth, who indeed was not to blame under the
circumstances. Mr. Burrell was much with her; they had a hundred
delightful arrangements to make about their marriage and their future
housekeeping. And if in these days Elizabeth was a little proud and
important and very much interested in her own affairs, she was
innocently so. She was only exhibiting the natural parade of a
lovely bud spreading itself into a perfect flower.

She had not the slightest intention of being unkind to Denas; indeed,
she looked forward to many pleasant hours with her and to her
assistance in all the preparations for her marriage. And Roland had
introduced the subject quite as frequently as he felt it to be
prudent. Finally Elizabeth had plainly told him that she did not
intend to have Denas with her until he returned to London. "I see you
so seldom, Roland," she said, "and we will not have any stranger
intermeddling when you are at home."

"Come, Elizabeth," he answered, "you are putting up your disapprovals
in the shape of compliments. My dear, you are afraid I will fall in
love with Denas."

"I am afraid you will make love to her, which is a very different
thing."

"Do you want Denas here?"

"I shall be glad to have her here. I have a great deal of sewing to
do, and she is a perfect and rapid needlewoman."

"Then go to-morrow and ask her to come. I am off to London to-night.
In this world no one has pleasure but he who gives himself some. You
were my only pleasure at St. Penfer, and I do not care to share your
society with Robert Burrell."

"I will go and see Denas. I must ask her parents to let her stay with
me until my marriage."

But as Denas did not know of this intention, that weary Wednesday
dragged itself away amid rain and storm and household dissatis