would end in being, he was confident. He observed,
however, that it would be as well to keep Charles at home, in case, as
was possible, of a messenger being wanted. He himself would soon be
back.

Charles was called up into the drawing-room, and questioned. Never
before having been of so much importance, he was very grand in his
statements, and made the most of all he had to say. Still, however, it
was a story which no telling could have made other than an unpleasant
one. Some of the people who had come in from the country had
pitchforks. Two or three of the shopkeepers had put up their shutters.
Many strangers were in the churchyard, peeping about the new graves: and
others had set scouts on the road, to give notice when master was
coming. Mrs Plumstead was very busy scolding the people all round; but
it did not do any good, for they only laughed at her.

"You may go, Charles; but do not set foot out of the house till you are
bid," said Hester, when she found the boy had told all he knew, and
perhaps something more. Morris left the room with him, in order to keep
her eye upon him.

"Oh, Margaret, this is very terrible!" said Hester.

"Most disagreeable. We must allow something for Charles's way of
telling the story. But yet--is there anything we can do, Hester?"

"Mr Grey will surely be here, presently. Do not you think so?"

"Either he or Mr Rowland, no doubt."

"Dr Levitt is a magistrate: but this is Saturday, and he is so deep in
his sermon, he could not be made to understand and believe till it would
be too late.--Do you go up to the attic, Margaret, and I will keep the
hall door. I shall hear his horse sooner than any one, and I shall
stand ready to open to him in an instant. Hark now!"

It was only the boy with the post-bags, trotting slowly to Mrs
Plumstead's, amusing himself by the way with observations on the unusual
animation of Deerbrook.

"It is too soon yet, by half an hour," said Margaret. "He cannot
possibly be here for this half-hour, I think. Do not wear yourself out
with standing in the hall so long. I must just say one thing, love, I
fear all kinds of danger less for Edward than for almost any one else in
the world: he does always what is most simple and right; and I think he
could melt anybody's heart if he tried."

"Thank you," said Hester, gratefully. "I agree and trust with you: but
what hearts have these people? or, how can you get at them, through such
heads? But y