This brought them to the door of the house, which Mr. Fabian opened with his latch key, and the two men entered the parlor together.

“Why, how soon you have come!  I am so glad!” exclaimed Violet, rising to welcome the new visitor.

“That is because, instead of sending, I went for him,” explained Mr. Fabian.

“So I suspected when I found that you did not return immediately to the parlor,” said Violet.

Mr. Clarence meanwhile went to his niece, took her hand and kissed her in silence.  He could not trust his voice to speak.  She understood him, and returned the pressure of his hand.  If it had not been for Violet, the evening would have passed very gloomily; but she, who knew nothing of the domestic tempest that had driven Cora from home, nor even of the impending separation in the morning, and who heartily enjoyed the presence of her two favorite relatives in the house, kept the party enlivened by her own good spirits and gay talk.

Once during the evening Clarence and Cora found themselves far enough off from their friends for a short tete-a-tete, in which there was a brief but perfect explanation between them.

Then Clarence announced his intention of escorting her to Washington and seeing her safe under the protection of the Nevilles.

Cora strongly opposed this plan, on the ground that his escort was unnecessary and might be deeply offensive to Mr. Rockharrt.

But Clarence was firm.

“You may turn your back on me, Cora.  You may refuse to speak to me during the whole journey.  But you cannot prevent me from going on the same train with you, and so becoming your guardian on the journey,” said Clarence.

Cora’s answer to this was prevented by the approach of Violet, who said: 

“Clarence, it is half past eleven o’clock, and Cora looks tired to death.  Your room is ready whenever you would like to retire.”

Acting upon this very broad hint, Mr. Clarence laughed, kissed his niece good night, shook hands with his sister-in-law, and left the room, preceded by Mr. Fabian, who offered to show him to his chamber.  Violet conducted Cora to the room prepared for her, and, with a warm embrace, left her to repose for the last time in that house.

CHAPTER XXXI.

“IT IS THE UNEXPECTED THAT HAPPENS.”

After her exciting and fatiguing day, Corona slept long and heavily, and when she reached the family sitting room she found her two uncles there in conversation.

“I am sorry I kept you waiting, Uncle Fabian,” she said, hurriedly.

“You have not done so, my dear.  The bell has not yet rung.”

“Then I’m glad.  Good morning, Clarence,” she said, turning to her younger uncle.

“Good morning, Cora.  How did you sleep?”

“Perfectly, Clarence dear.  I hope you will set out for North End immediately after breakfast.  I shall not start for Washington until to-night.  I shall spend the day here, so that after telling Violet of my intended journey I may have some little time to reconcile her to it.”