“Julius has turned Mrs. Sandal and Charlotte from house and home, yesterday afternoon.  They are at the rectory.  I am going, mother.”

“Stop a moment, Steve.  This is now my affair.”

Stephen looked at his mother with amazement.  Her countenance, her voice, her whole manner, had suddenly changed.  An expression of angry purpose was in her wide-open eyes and firm mouth, as she asked, “Can you or Jamie, or any of the men, drive me to Kendal?”

“To-day?”

“I want to leave within an hour.”

“The rain down-pours; and it is like to be worse yet, if the wind does not change.”

“If it were ten times worse, I must to Kendal.  I am much to blame that I have let weather stop me so far and so long.  While Dame Nature was busy about her affairs, I should have been minding mine.  Deary me, deary me!”

“If you are for Kendal, then I will drive.  The cart-road down the fell is too bad to trust you with any one but myself.  Can we stop a moment at the rectory on our road?”

“We can stop a goodish bit.  I have a deal to say to the parson.  Have the tax-cart ready in half an hour; for there will be no betterness in the weather until the moon—­God bless her!—­is full round; and things are past waiting for now.”

In twenty minutes Ducie was ready.  The large cloak and hood of the Daleswoman wrapped her close.  She was almost indistinguishable in its folds.  The rector met her with a little irritation.  It was very early to be disturbed, and he thought her visit would refer, doubtless, to some trivial right between her son and Charlotte Sandal; besides which, he had made up his mind to discuss the Sandal affairs with no one.

But Ducie had spoken but a few moments before a remarkable change took place in his manner.  He was bending eagerly forward, listening to her half-whispered words with the greatest interest and amazement.  As she proceeded, he could scarcely control his emotion; and very soon all other expressions were lost in one of a satisfaction that was almost triumph.

“I will keep them here until you return,” he answered; “but let me tell you, Ducie, you have been less quick to do right than I thought of you.”

“The fell has been a hard walk for an old woman, the cart-road nearly impassable until this rain washed away the drifts; but I did not neglect my duty altogether, neither, parson.  Moser was written to six weeks since, and he has been at work.  Maybe, after all, no time has been lost.  I’ll away now, if you will call Stephen.  Don’t let Mrs. Sandal ‘take on’ more than you can help;” and, as Stephen lifted the reins, “You think it best to bring all here?”

“Far away best.  God speed you!” He watched them out of sight,—­his snowy hair and strong face and black garments making a vivid picture in the misty, drippy doorway,—­and then, returning to his study, he began his daily walk up and down its carpeted length, with a singularly solemn elation.  Ere long, the thoughtful stride was accompanied by low, musical mutterings, dropping from his lips in such majestic cadences that his steps involuntarily fell to their music in a march-like rhythm.