distress? Lady Ball must have some very
important plan to propose, and poor Margaret's heart was in a
flutter. It was ten days after this before the second promised note
arrived, and then Margaret was asked to say whether she would be at
home and able to receive her aunt's visit at ten minutes past two on
the day but one following. Margaret wrote back to say that she would
be at home at ten minutes past two on the day named.

Her aunt was old, and she again borrowed the parlour, though she was
not now well inclined to ask favours from Mrs Buggins. Mrs Buggins
had taken to heart the slight put upon her husband, and sometimes
made nasty little speeches.

"Oh dear, yes, in course, Miss Margaret; not that I ever did think
much of them Ballses, and less than ever now, since the gentleman was
kind enough to send me the newspaper. But she's welcome to the room,
seeing as how Mr Tiddy will be in the City, of course; and you're
welcome to it, too, though you do keep yourself so close to yourself,
which won't ever bring you round to have your money again; that it
won't."

Lady Ball came and was shown into the parlour, and her niece went
down to receive her.

"I would have been here before you came, aunt, only the room is not
mine."

In answer to this, Lady Ball said that it did very well. Any room
would answer the present purpose. Then she sat down on the sofa from
which she had risen. She was dressed, of course, in the full weeds
of her widowhood, and the wide extent of her black crape was almost
awful in Margaret's eyes. She did not look to be so savage as her
niece had sometimes seen her, but there was about her a ponderous
accumulation of crape, which made her even more formidable than she
used to be. It would be almost impossible to refuse anything to a
person so black, so grave, so heavy, and so big.

"I have come to you, my dear," she said, "as soon as I possibly could
after the sad event which we have had at home."

In answer to this, Margaret said that she was much obliged, but she
hoped that her aunt had put herself to no trouble. Then she said a
word or two about her uncle,--a word or two that was very difficult,
as of course it could mean nothing.

"Yes," said the widow, "he has been taken from us after a long and
useful life. I hope his son will always show himself to be worthy of
such a father."

After that there was silence in the room for a minute or two, during
which Margaret waited for her aunt to b