“She has become as one of my own daughters,” said Mrs. Merrill.  Yet she knew that this offer of Miss Lucretia’s was not one to be lightly set aside, and that it might eventually be the best solution of the problem.  After some further earnest discussion it was agreed between them that the matter was, if possible, to be kept from Cynthia for the present, and when Miss Lucretia departed Mrs. Merrill promised her an early return of her call.

Mrs. Merrill had another talk with her husband, which lasted far into the night.  This talk was about Cynthia alone, and the sorrow which threatened her.  These good people knew that it would be no light thing to break the faith of such as she, and they made her troubles their own.

Cynthia little guessed as she exchanged raillery with Mr. Merrill the next morning that he had risen fifteen minutes earlier than usual to search his newspaper through.  He would read no more at breakfast, so he declared in answer to his daughters’ comments; it was a bad habit which did not agree with his digestion.  It was something new for Mr. Merrill to have trouble with his digestion.

There was another and scarcely less serious phase of the situation which Mr. and Mrs. Merrill had yet to discuss between them—­a phase of which Miss Lucretia Penniman knew nothing.

The day before Miss Sadler’s school was to reopen nearly a week before the Harvard term was to commence—­a raging, wet snowstorm came charging in from the Atlantic.  Snow had no terrors for a Coniston person, and Cynthia had been for her walk.  Returning about five o’clock, she was surprised to have the door opened for her by Susan herself.

“What a picture you are in those furs!” she cried, with an intention which for the moment was lost upon Cynthia.  “I thought you would never come.  You must have walked to Dedham this time.  Who do you think is here?  Mr. Worthington.”

“Mr. Worthington!”

“I have been trying to entertain him, but I am afraid I have been a very poor substitute.  However, I have persuaded him to stay for supper.”

“It needed but little persuasion,” said Bob, appearing in the doorway.  All the snowstorms of the wide Atlantic could not have brought such color to her cheeks.  Cynthia, for all her confusion at the meeting, had not lost her faculty of observation.  He seemed to have changed again, even during the brief time he had been absent.  His tone was grave.

“He needs to be cheered up, Cynthia,” Susan went on, as though reading her thoughts.  “I have done my best, without success.  He won’t confess to me that he has come back to make up some of his courses.  I don’t mind owning that I’ve got to finish a theme to be handed in tomorrow.”

With these words Susan departed, and left them standing in the hall together.  Bob took hold of Cynthia’s jacket and helped her off with it.  He could read neither pleasure nor displeasure in her face, though he searched it anxiously enough.  It was she who led the way into the parlor and seated herself, as before, on one of the uncompromising, straight-backed chairs.  Whatever inward tremors the surprise of this visit had given her, she looked at him clearly and steadily, completely mistress of herself, as ever.