‘And how did you meet with this misfortune?’ asked Mr. Hawkesworth.

‘I banged the door, and made it go off,’ said Phyllis.

‘What can you mean?’ said William, in a tone of surprise, which Phyllis took for anger, and she hid her face to stifle her sobs.

‘No, no, do not frighten her,’ said Claude’s kind voice.

‘Run and make friends with your nephew, Phyllis,’ said Mr. Hawkesworth; ‘do not greet us with crying.’

‘First tell me what is become of Maurice,’ said Claude, ’is he blown up too?’

‘No, he is at the Old Court,’ said Phyllis.  ’Shall I tell him that you are come?’

‘I will look for him,’ said Claude, and out he went.

The others dispersed in different directions, and did not assemble again for nearly half an hour, when they all met in the drawing-room to drink tea; Claude and Maurice were the last to appear, and, on entering, the first thing the former said was, ‘Where is Phyllis?’

‘In the nursery,’ said Jane; ’she has had her supper, and chooses to stay with Ada.’

‘Has any one found out the history of the accident?’ said William.

‘I have vainly been trying to make sense of Maurice’s account,’ said Claude.

‘Sense!’ said William, ‘there is none.’

‘I am perfectly bewildered,’ said Lily; ’every one has a different story, only consenting in making Phyllis the victim.’

‘And,’ added Claude, ‘I strongly suspect she is not in fault.’

‘Why should you doubt what she says herself?’ said Eleanor.

‘What does she say herself?’ said William, ’nothing but that she shut the door, and what does that amount to?—­Nothing.’

‘She says she touched the powder,’ interposed Jane.

‘That is another matter,’ said William; ’no one told me of her touching the powder.  But why do you not ask her?  She is publicly condemned without a hearing.’

‘Who accuses her?’ said Mr. Mohun.

‘I can hardly tell,’ said Emily; ’she met us, saying she was very sorry.  Yes, she accuses herself.  Every one has believed it to be her.’

‘And why?’

There was a pause, but at last Emily said, ’How would you account for it otherwise?’

’I have not yet heard the circumstances.  Maurice, I wish to hear your account.  I will not now ask how you procured the powder.  Whoever was the immediate cause of the accident, you are chiefly to blame.  Where was the powder?’

Maurice gave his theory and his facts, ending with the powder-horn being driven out of the window upon the green.

‘I hear,’ said Mr. Mohun.  ’But, Maurice, did you not say that Phyllis touched the powder?  How do you reconcile that with this incomprehensible statement?’

‘She might have done that before,’ said Maurice.

‘Now call Phyllis,’ said his father.

’Is it not very formidable for her to be examined before such an assembly?’ said Emily.