When dinner was over, and four o’clock came, Mrs. Liddell’s anxiety rose high; she could not bear her daughter-in-law’s presence, and retired into her own den.

“Won’t you stay and see Colonel Ormonde?  He used to be quite friendly with poor Fred in India, and I should like him to see what a nice handsome mamma-in-law I have,” said Mrs. Fred, caressingly:  she rather liked her mother-in-law, and felt it was as well to be on affectionate terms with her.

“No, my dear; my head is not quite free from pain, and I want to give Katherine something to eat when she comes in; she will be very hungry.  Then I can see that the children do not get into any mischief in the garden.”

The younger lady then went to pose herself with a dainty piece of fancy-work in the drawing-room, and the elder to sit at her writing-table, pen in hand, but not writing; only thinking round and round the circle of difficulties which hedged her in, and longing for the sight of her daughter’s face.

At last it beamed upon her through the open door-window which led out on the stairway to the garden; her approach had been seen by her little nephews, who had admitted her through the back gate.

“You must not come in now, dears; I want to talk to grannie.  If you keep away I will tell you a nice story in the evening.”

“My dearest child, what has kept you?  I have been uneasy; and how dreadfully tired you look!”

“I am tired, but that is nothing.  I think, dear, I have a little good news for you.”

“Come into the dining-room.  I have some dinner for you, and we can talk quietly.  Ada is expecting a visitor.”

But Katherine could not eat until she told her adventures.  First she described her interview with Mr. Channing.

“It is something certainly to have left my unfortunate MS. in his hands; still I dare not hope much from that,” said Mrs. Liddell.

“Then, mother dear,” resumed Katherine, “I ventured to do something for which I hope you will not be angry with me—­I have found John Liddell!  I have invaded his den; I have spoken to him; I have cooked a chop for him, as I used for you last winter; and though I have been sent empty away, I am not without hopes that he will help us out of our difficulties.”

“Katie, dear, what have you done?” cried her mother, aghast.  “How did you manage—­how did you dare?” Whereupon Katherine gave her mother a graphic account of the whole affair.

“It is a wonderful history,” said Mrs. Liddell.  “I feel half frightened; yet if Mr. Liddell’s solicitor is an honest, respectable man, he will surely be on our side; at the same time, I am half afraid of falling into John Liddell’s clutches.  He has the character of being a relentless creditor:  he will have his pound of flesh!  If he gives this money as a loan, and I fail in paying the interest, he will take me by the throat as he would the greatest stranger.”