trust, and only ask to see the one step needful for the hour.  Mr. Lennox—­his visit, his proposal—­the remembrance of which had been so rudely pushed aside by the subsequent events of the day—­haunted her dreams that night.  He was climbing up some tree of fabulous height to reach the branch whereon was slung her bonnet:  he was falling, and she was struggling to save him, but held back by some invisible powerful hand.  He was dead.  And yet, with a shifting of the scene, she was once more in the Harley Street drawing-room, talking to him as of old, and still with a consciousness all the time that she had seen him killed by that terrible fall.

Miserable, unresting night!  Ill preparation for the coming day!  She awoke with a start, unrefreshed, and conscious of some reality worse even than her feverish dreams.  It all came back upon her; not merely the sorrow, but the terrible discord in the sorrow.  Where, to what distance apart, had her father wandered, led by doubts which were to her temptations of the Evil One?  She longed to ask, and yet would not have heard for all the world.

The fine Crisp morning made her mother feel particularly well and happy at breakfast-time.  She talked on, planning village kindnesses, unheeding the silence of her husband and the monosyllabic answers of Margaret.  Before the things were cleared away, Mr. Hale got up; he leaned one hand on the table, as if to support himself: 

’I shall not be at home till evening.  I am going to Bracy Common, and will ask Farmer Dobson to give me something for dinner.  I shall be back to tea at seven.’  He did not look at either of them, but Margaret knew what he meant.  By seven the announcement must be made to her mother.  Mr. Hale would have delayed making it till half-past six, but Margaret was of different stuff.  She could not bear the impending weight on her mind all the day long:  better get the worst over; the day would be too short to comfort her mother.  But while she stood by the window, thinking how to begin, and waiting for the servant to have left the room, her mother had gone up-stairs to put on her things to go to the school.  She came down ready equipped, in a brisker mood than usual.

’Mother, come round the garden with me this morning; just one turn,’ said Margaret, putting her arm round Mrs. Hale’s waist.

They passed through the open window.  Mrs. Hale spoke—­said something—­Margaret could not tell what.  Her eye caught on a bee entering a deep-belled flower:  when that bee flew forth with his spoil she would begin—­that should be the sign.  Out he came.

‘Mamma!  Papa is going to leave Helstone!’ she blurted forth.  ‘He’s going to leave the Church, and live in Milton-Northern.’  There were the three hard facts hardly spoken.

‘What makes you say so?’ asked Mrs. Hale, in a surprised incredulous voice.  ‘Who has been telling you such nonsense?’

‘Papa himself,’ said Margaret, longing to say something gentle and consoling, but literally not knowing how.  They were close to a garden-bench.  Mrs. Hale sat down, and began to cry.