“Will Mr. Howard be down to breakfast?” she asked.

“As he is going away to-day, I presume he will be down,” was the reply, after which Helen quickly completed her toilet, her aunt standing by and watching her in the meantime.

“Helen, dear,” she asked at last, after having recovered her faculties a trifle, “do you really mean that you will not explain to me a thing of what has happened, or of what you are doing?”

“There is so much, Aunt Polly, that I cannot possibly explain it now; I have too much else to think of.  You must simply let me go my way, and I will tell you afterwards.”

“But, Helen, is that the right way to treat me?  Is it nothing to you, all the interest that I have taken in this and all that I have done for you, that you should think so little of my advice?”

“I do not need any advice now,” was the answer.  “Aunt Polly, I see exactly what I should do, and I do not mean to stop a minute for anything else until I have done it.  If it seems unkind, I am very sorry, but in the meantime it must be done.”

And while she was saying the words, Helen was putting on her hat; then taking up her parasol and gloves she turned towards her aunt.  “I am ready now,” she said, “and please let me have breakfast just as soon as you can.”

The girl was so much preoccupied with her own thoughts and purposes that she scarcely even heard what her aunt said; she went down into the garden where she could be alone, and paced up and down impatiently until she heard the bell.  Then she went up into the dining room, where she found her aunt and uncle in conversation with Mr. Howard.

Helen had long been preparing herself to meet him, but she could not keep her cheeks from flushing or keep from lowering her eyes; she bit her lips together, however, and forced herself to look at him, saying very resolutely, “Mr. Howard, I have to drive over to Hilltown after breakfast, and I wish very much to talk to you about something; would you like to drive with me?”

“Very much indeed,” said he, quietly, after which Helen said not a word more.  She saw that her aunt and uncle were gazing at her and at each other in silent wonder, but she paid no attention to it.  After eating a few hurried mouthfuls she excused herself, and rose and went outside, where she saw the driving-cart which had been bought for her use, waiting for her.  It was not much longer before Mr. Howard was ready, for he saw her agitation.

“It is rather a strange hour to start upon a drive,” she said to him, “but I have real cause for hurrying; I will explain about it.”  And then she stopped, as her aunt came out to join them.

It was only a moment more before Mr. Howard had excused himself, and the two were in the wagon, Helen taking the reins.  She waved a farewell to her aunt and then started the horse, and they were whirled swiftly away down the road.

All the morning Helen’s mind had been filled with things that she wished to say to Mr. Howard.  But now all her resolution seemed to have left her, and she was trembling very much, and staring straight ahead, busying herself with guiding the horse.  When they were out upon the main road where they might go as fast as they pleased without that necessity, she swallowed the lump in her throat and made one or two nervous attempts to speak.