erstand at first. Wyvis did not tell me."

Then she sank into her chair again, more out of physical weakness than
from any real intention to seat herself. Her hand stole to her side, as
if to still the beating of her heart; her face had turned very pale.
Only Janetta noticed these signs, which betrayed the greatness of the
shock; Margaret, absorbed in her own affairs, and Wyvis absorbed in
Margaret, had no eyes for the poor mother's surprise and agitation.
Janetta made a step forward, but she saw that she could do nothing. Mrs.
Brand was recovering her composure, and the other two were not in a mood
to bear interruption. So she waited, and meanwhile Margaret spoke.

"Dear Mrs. Brand," she said, kneeling at the side of the trembling
woman, and laying her clasped hands on her lap, "forgive me for
startling you like this." Even Janetta wondered at the marvelous
sweetness of Margaret's tones. "Indeed, I would not have come if there
had been any other way of letting Wyvis know. They made me promise not
to write to him, not to meet him in the wood where we met before you
know, and they watched me, so that I could not get out, or send a
message or anything. It has been like living in prison during the last
few days." And the girl sobbed a little, and laid her forehead for a
moment on her clasped hands.

"It's a shame--a shame! It must not go on," exclaimed Wyvis,
indignantly.

"In one way it will not go on," said Margaret, raising her head. "They
are going to take me away, and we are not to come back for the whole
winter--perhaps not next year at all. I don't know where we are going. I
shall never be allowed to write. And I thought it would be terrible to
go without letting Wyvis know that I will never, never forget him. And I
am only nineteen now, and I can't do as I like; but, when I am
twenty-one, nobody can prevent me----"

"Why should anybody prevent you now?" said Wyvis gloomily. He drew
nearer and laid his hand upon her shoulder. "Why should you wait? You
are safe: you have come to my mother, and she will take care of you. Why
need you go back again?"

"Is that right, Wyvis?" said Janetta. She could not keep silence any
longer. Wyvis turned on her almost fiercely. Margaret who had not seen
her before started up and faced her, with a look of something like
terror.

"It is no business of yours," said the man. "This matter is between
Margaret and myself. Margaret must decide it. I do not ask her to
compromise hers