Upon the present occasion there was no violent demonstration of emotion to alarm the Roberts household, for Helen’s grief was not of the kind to vent itself in a passionate outburst and pass away.  To be sure, she wept a little, but the thoughts which haunted her were not of a kind to be forgotten, and afterwards she was as wretched as ever.  What she had done seemed to her so dreadful that even tears were not right, and she felt that she ought only to sit still and think of it, and be frightened; it seemed to her just then as if she would have to do the same thing for the rest of her days.  She spent several hours in her room without once moving, and without being disturbed, for her aunt was sufficiently annoyed at her morning’s reception not to visit her again.  The lunch hour passed, therefore, unthought of by Helen, and it was an hour or two later before she heard her aunt’s step in the hall, and her knock upon the door.

Mrs. Roberts entered and stood in the center of the room, gazing at Helen, and at the look of helpless despair which she turned towards her; the woman’s own lips were set very tightly.

“Well?” she said abruptly, “have you had your wish, and are you happy?”

Helen did not answer, nor did she half realize the question, so lost was she in her own misery.  She sat gazing at her aunt, while the latter went on:  “You have had your way in one thing, at any rate, Helen; Mr. Harrison is downstairs to see you.”

The girl gave a slight start, but then she answered quietly:  “Thank you, Auntie; I shall go down and see him.”

“Helen,” said Mrs. Roberts, “do you still refuse to tell me anything of what I ask you?”

Helen was quite too much humbled to wish to oppose anyone just then; and she answered mournfully, “What is it that you wish?”

“I wish to know in the first place why you wanted to see Mr. Harrison.”

“I wanted to see him to tell him that I could not marry him, Aunt Polly.”

And Mrs. Roberts sat down opposite Helen and fixed her gaze upon her.  “I knew that was it,” she said grimly.  “Now, Helen, what in the world has come over you to make you behave in this fashion?”

“Oh, it is so much to tell you,” began the girl; “I don’t know—­”

“What did you find at Hilltown?” went on her aunt persistently.  “Did you see Arthur?”

“No, Aunt Polly, that is what is the matter; he has gone.”

“Gone!  Gone where?”

“Away, Aunt Polly!  Nobody saw him go, and he left a note saying that he would never return.  And I am so frightened—­”

Mrs. Roberts was gazing at her niece with a puzzled look upon her face.  She interrupted her by echoing the word “frightened” inquiringly.

“Yes, Auntie!” cried the girl; “for I may never be able to find him again, to undo what I have done!”

And Mrs. Roberts responded with a wondering laugh, and observed, “For my part, I should think you’d be very glad to be rid of him so.”