“How are you?” she said.  “And how is your ankle to-day?  You have had nobody to attend to it.”

“It has hurt me a good deal,” he answered.  “I think I must have given it a wrench this morning, but I put on it some of the lotion Mrs Keswick left with me, and it feels better.”

“It is too bad,” said Mrs Null, “that you have to attend to it yourself.”

“Not at all,” said Lawrence.  “Now that I know how, I can do it, perfectly well, and I don’t care a snap about my ankle, except that it interferes with more important affairs.  Why do you suppose Miss March went away without speaking to me, or taking leave of me in any way?”

“I thought that would trouble you,” said she, “and, to speak honestly, I don’t think it was right.  But Roberta was in a very agitated condition, when she left here, and I don’t believe she ever thought of taking leave of you, or any one, except me.  She and I are very good friends, but she don’t confide much in me.  But one thing I am pretty sure of, and that is that she is dreadfully angry with my cousin Junius, and I am very sorry for that.”

“How did he anger her?” asked Lawrence, wishing to find out how much this young woman knew.  “I haven’t the least idea,” said Miss Annie.  “All I know is, she had quite a long talk with him, in the parlor, and after that she came flying up-stairs, just as indignant as she could be.  She didn’t say much, but I could see how her soul raged within her.”  And now the young lady stopped speaking, and looked straight into Lawrence’s face.  “It isn’t possible,” she said, “that you have been sending my cousin to propose to her for you?”

This was not a pleasant question to answer, and, besides, Lawrence had made up his mind that the period had passed for making confidants of other persons, in regard to his love affairs.  “Do you suppose I would do that?” he said.

“No, I don’t,” Miss Annie answered.  “Cousin Junius would never have undertaken such a thing, and I don’t believe you would be cruel enough to ask him.”

“Thank you for your good opinion,” said Lawrence.  “And now can you tell me when Mr Keswick is expected to return?”

“He has gone back to Washington, and he told me he should stay there some time.”

“And why has not Mrs Keswick been out to see me?” asked Lawrence.

“You are dreadfully inquisitive,” said Miss Annie, “but to tell you the simple truth, Mr Croft, I don’t believe Aunt Keswick takes any further interest in you, now that Roberta has gone.  She had set her heart on making a match between you two, and doing it here without delay; and I think that everything going wrong about this has put her into the state of mind she is in now.”

“Has she really gone away?” asked Lawrence.

“Oh, that don’t amount to anything,” said Miss Annie.  “She went over the fields to Howlett’s, to see the postmistress, who is an old friend, to whom she often goes for comfort, when things are not right at home.  But I am going after her this afternoon in the spring wagon.  I’ll take Plez along with me to open the gates.  I am sure I shall bring her back.”