, that she should have
sent for him and charged him with this office, but bewildered with the
extraordinary commission, and not knowing what to do.

"What is it, Theo? What did she want with you?" his sisters cried, in
subdued voices, but eager to know everything about Lady Markland, who
had been as the stars in the sky to them a little while before.

He told them in a few words, and they filled the air with whispered
exclamations. "How odd, how strange; oh, how unusual, Theo! People will
say it is our doing. They will say, How dreadful of the Warrenders! Oh,
tell her you can't do it! How could you do it, in the middle of the
night!"

"That is just what I don't know," Warrender rejoined.

"Mr. Theo," said the old man, who was not dignified with the name of
butler, "the lady is quite right. I can't tell you how it's to be done,
but gardener, he is a very handy man, and he will know. The middle of
the night--that's just what makes it easy, young ladies; and instead o'
watching and waiting, the 'holl of us 'ull get to bed."

"That is all you're thinking of, Joseph."

"Well, it's a deal, sir, after all that's been going on in this house,"
Joseph said, with an aggrieved air. He had to provide supper, which was
a thing unknown at the Warren, after all the trouble that every one had
been put to. He was himself of opinion that to be kept up beyond your
usual hours, and subjected to unexpected fatigues, made a "bit of supper"
needful even for the uncomfortable and incomprehensible people whom he
called the quality. They were a poorish lot, and he had a mild contempt
for them, and to get them supper was a hardship; still, it was his own
suggestion, and he was bound to carry it out.

It is unnecessary to enter into all Warrender's perplexities and all the
expedients that were suggested. At last the handy gardener and himself
hit upon a plan by which Lady Markland's wishes could be carried out.
She sat still in the gloomy room where her husband lay dead, waiting
till they should be ready; doubting nothing, as little disturbed by any
difficulty as if it had been the simplest commission in the world which
she had given the young man. Geoff sat at her feet, leaning against her,
holding her hand. It is to be supposed that he slept now and then, as
the slow moments went on, but whenever any one spoke to his mother his
eyes would be seen gleaming against the darkness of her dress. They sat
there waiting, perfectly still, with the