e
was brought down and strapped on a little platform behind. Shortly
afterwards Peggy came round the end of the house, with a hat on, and
a little bundle under her arm, and approached the carriage, making,
however, a wide turn toward the office, at which, and a mile or two
beyond, her far-off gaze was steadily directed.

Lawrence threw up the sash and called to her, and his guardian imp
approached the window. "Are you Miss March's maid? I think I have seen
you at Midbranch."

"Yaas, sah, you's done seen me, offen," said Peggy.

"Does Miss March intend to start immediately?" he asked.

"Yaas, sah," said the good Peggy, "she'll be out in a minute, soon
as she done kissin' Mah's Junius good-bye in de parlor." And then,
noticing a look of astonishment on the gentleman's face, she added:
"Dey's gwine to be mar'ed, Chris'mus."

"What!" exclaimed Lawrence.

"Good-bye, Mister Crof,'" said Peggy, "I's got to hurry up."

Lawrence made no answer, but mechanically tossed her a coin, which,
picking up, she gave him a farewell grin, and hastened to take her
seat by the driver.

Very soon afterward Lawrence saw Roberta come out, accompanied only by
Mrs Null, and hurry down the steps. Forgetting his injured ankle, he
sprang to his feet, and stepping quickly to the door, opened it, and
stood on the threshold. But Miss March did not even look his way. He
gazed at her with wide-open eyes as she hastily kissed Mrs Null, and
sprang into the carriage, which was immediately driven off. As Mrs
Null turned to go into the house, she looked toward the office and
nodded to him. He believed that she would have come to him if he had
called her, but he did not call. His mind was in such a condition that
he would not have been capable of framing a question, had she come. He
felt that he could speak to no one until he had seen Keswick. Closing
the door he went back to his chair; and as he did so, his ankle pained
him sadly, but of this he scarcely thought.

He did not have to wait long for Junius Keswick, for in about ten
minutes that individual entered. Lawrence turned, as his visitor
opened the door; and he saw a countenance which had undergone a very
noticeable change. It was not dark or lowering; it was not pale; but
it was gray and hard; and the eyes looked larger than Lawrence had
remembered them.

Without preface or greeting Junius approached him, and said: "I have
taken your message to Miss March, and have brought you one in return