she saw that there the
same reform had been effected. Even the walls and ceiling had been swept
of the hanging cobwebs, and the floor was clean with the cleanliness of
ablution. Still holding Harold's arm, she moved over towards her
mother's coffin and knelt before it. Harold knelt with her; for a little
while she remained still and silent, praying inwardly. Then she rose,
and taking her great bunch of flowers placed them lovingly on the lid of
the coffin above where she thought her mother's heart would be. Then she
turned to Harold, her eyes flowing and her cheeks wet with tears, and
laid her head against his breast. Her arms could not go round his neck
till he had bent his head, for with his great height he simply towered
above her. Presently she was quiet; the paroxysm of her grief had
passed. She took Harold's hand in both hers, and together they went to
the door. With his disengaged hand, for he would not have disturbed the
other for worlds, Harold put out the lights and locked the door behind
them.

In the church she held him away from her, and looked him fairly in the
face. She said slowly:

'Harold, was it you who had the crypt cleaned?' He answered in a low
voice:

'I knew you would want to go again!'

She took the great hand which she held between hers, and before he knew
what she was doing and could prevent her, raised it to her lips and
kissed it, saying lovingly:

'Oh, Harold! No brother in all the wide world could be kinder. And--and--'
this with a sob, 'we both thank you; mother and I!'

CHAPTER VI--A VISIT TO OXFORD

The next important move in the household was Harold's going to Cambridge.
His father had always intended this, and Squire Norman had borne his
wishes in mind. Harold joined Trinity, the college which had been his
father's, and took up his residence in due course.

Stephen was now nearly twelve. Her range of friendships, naturally
limited by her circumstances in life, was enlarged to the full; and if
she had not many close friends there were at least of them all that was
numerically possible. She still kept up to certain degree the little
gatherings which in her childhood were got together for her amusement,
and in the various games then instituted she still took a part. She
never lost sight of the fact that her father took a certain pleasure in
her bodily vigour. And though with her growing years and the conscious
acceptance of her womanhood, she lost sigh