rain,--a melancholy place enough for Theo to return to.
But he was not in a state of mind to think of that or of any of his home
surroundings grave or gay. Chatty put her head out of the window to
look behind her at the melancholy yet dear old house, with tears in her
innocent eyes, but Mrs. Warrender, feeling that at last she had shaken
herself free from that bondage, notwithstanding the anxiety in her heart
for her son, had no feeling to spare for the leave-taking. She waved her
hand to Mrs. Bagley at the shop, who was standing out at her door with a
shawl over her cap to see the ladies go by. Lizzie stood behind her in
the doorway saying nothing, while her grandmother curtsied and waved her
hand and called out her wishes for a good journey, and a happy return.
Naturally Chatty's eyes sought those of the girl, who looked after her
with a sort of blank longing as if she too would fain have gone out into
the world. Lizzie's eyes seemed to pursue her as they drove past,--poor
Lizzie, who had other things in her mind, Chatty began to think, beside
the fashion books; and then there came the tall red mass of the Elms,
with all its windows shut up, and that air of mystery which its encircling
wall and still more its recent history conferred upon it. The two ladies
looked out upon it, as they drove past, almost with awe.

"Mamma," said Chatty, "I never told you. I saw the--the lady, just when
she was going away."

"What lady?" asked Mrs. Warrender, with surprise.

"I don't think," said Chatty, with a certain solemnity, "that she was
any older, perhaps not so old as I. It made my heart sick. Oh, dear
mother, must there not be some explanation, some dreadful, dreadful
fate, when it happens that one so young----"

"Sometimes it may be so--but these are mysteries which you, at your age,
Chatty, have no need to go into."

"At my age--which is about the same as hers," said Chatty; "and--oh,
mamma, I wanted in my heart to stop her, to bring her to you. She had
been crying--she had such innocent-looking, distracted eyes--and Lizzie
said----"

"Lizzie! what had Lizzie to do with it?"

"I promised to tell no one, but you are not any one, you are the same
as myself. Lizzie says she knew her long ago, that she is the same as
a child still, not responsible for what she is doing--fond of toys and
sweets like a child."

"My dear, I am sorry that Lizzie should have kept up such a friend. I
believe there are some poor souls that if a