Katherine was not kept long waiting in the neat little back parlor, which was Miss Trant’s private room.  Rachel came to her looking very white, while she breathed quickly.  She paused just within the door, in a hesitating, uncertain way, which seemed to Katherine very pathetic.

“Oh!  Rachel,” she cried, her soft brown eyes suffused with tears as she tenderly kissed her brow, “I know everything, and—­I will never see him again.”

“He is not all bad,” said Rachel, in a low tone, as she clasped Katherine’s hand in both her own.

“No, I am sure he is not; but he has passed out of our lives; let us speak of him no more.”

“I should be glad not to do so; but he has written me a letter I should like you to see.  He seems grieved for the past and makes munificent offers.”

“I should rather not see it, Rachel.  I want to forget.  Did you reply?”

“I did, very gravely, very shortly.  I told him I wanted nothing, that the best friend I ever had had put me in the way perhaps to make my fortune, and—­and, dearest Miss Liddell, if you care for——­”

“But I do not, I did not,” interrupted Katherine.  “Oh! thank God I do not.  How could I have borne what has come to my knowledge if I did?  Now, let the past bury its dead.”

“Is it not amazing that we should be so strangely linked together?” murmured Rachel.

Katherine made no reply.  After a short silence, as if they stood by a still open grave, Katherine began to speak of her intended visit to Miss Payne, and before they parted, though both were hushed and grave, they had glided into their usual confidential, affectionate tone.  Business, however, was not mentioned.

“I wish you could see your cousin’s little daughter,” said Rachel, rather abruptly, as Katherine rose to bid her good-bye.  “She’s an interesting, naughty little creature, small of her age, but in some ways precocious.  I am fond of her, partly, I suppose, because she likes me.  There is something familiar to me in her face, yet I cannot say that she actually resembles anyone.”

“I should like to see her,” returned Katherine; and soon after she left her friend, relieved and calmed by the feeling that the explanation was over.

“Well, my dear,” cried Mrs. Needham, when they met at dinner.  “I have a great piece of news for you:  Mr. Errington is to be the new editor of The Cycle.  A capital thing for him! and that accounts for the announcement of the marriage being held back, just to let people get accustomed to the first start.  It shows what Bradley thinks of him.  It is really a grand triumph to get such an appointment after so short an apprenticeship.”

“I am glad of it, very glad,” returned Katherine, thoughtfully.  “I suppose he is considered very clever.”

“A first-rate man, quite first-rate, for all serious tough subjects.  I think, dear, if I could run down on Saturday week till Monday it would be an immense refreshment;” and Mrs. Needham wandered off into the discussion of a variety of schemes.