of us. However, we will not tell
your mother; but my husband will tell Mr Grey to-morrow, when he comes
home. If he chooses that you should carry loaded pistols about, there
will be no harm done."

"I have a great mind to say I will shoot you if you tell," cried Sydney,
presenting the pistol with a grand air. But he saw that he made his
cousins really uneasy, and he laid it down on the table, offering to
leave it with them for the night, if they thought it would make them
feel any safer. There were plenty more at home.

"Thank you," said Margaret, "but I believe we are more afraid of loaded
pistols than of thieves. The sooner you take it away the better. You
can go now, presently, for here comes my brother."

Sydney quickly pocketed his pistol. Hope agreed to go, and promised to
be at Mr Grey's to supper by nine o'clock.

Margaret was incessantly thinking of Maria in these long evenings, when
alarms of one kind or another were all abroad. She now thought she
would go with Sydney, and spend an hour or two with Maria, returning by
the time her brother would be going to the Greys'. Maria's landlord
would see her home, no doubt.

She found her friend busy with book and needle, and as well in health as
usual, but obviously somewhat moved by the dismal stories which had
travelled from mouth to mouth through Deerbrook during the day. It
seemed hardly right that any person in delicate health should be lonely
at such a time; and it occurred to Margaret that her friend might like
to go home with her, and occupy the bed which was this night to spare.
Maria thankfully accepted the offer, and let Margaret put up her little
bundle for her. The farrier escorted them to the steps of the
corner-house, and then left them.

The door was half-open, as Morris was talking with some one on the mat
in the hall. An extremely tall woman, with a crying baby in her arms,
made way for the ladies, not by going out of the house, but by stepping
further into the hall.

"Morris, had you not better shut the door?" said Margaret; "the wind
blows in so, it is enough to chill the whole house."

But Morris held the door open, rather wider than before.

"So the gentleman is not at home," said the tall woman, gruffly. "If I
come again in an hour with my poor baby, will he be at home then?"

"Is my brother gone, Morris?"

"Yes, Miss, three minutes ago."

"Then he will not be back in an hour. We do not expect him--."

"This good wo