amerel's
doing; the engagement, I mean. It's a good thing I drew back in
time.--But I have a train to catch; I really mustn't stay talking.'

'Are you going far, Horace?'

'To Bournemouth again,--for the present. I've given up these rooms, and
I'm taking all my things away. In a month or two I may go abroad; but
I'll let you know.'

Already he was out of the room; his sister had no choice but to
follow him downstairs. He looked so ill, and behaved with such lack
of self-restraint, that Nancy kept her eyes upon him in an awestricken
gaze, as though watching some one on the headlong way to destruction.
Pouring rain obliged her to put up her umbrella as she stepped down
on to the pavement. Horace, having shouted a direction to the driver,
entered the cab.

'You haven't even shaken hands with me, Horace,' Nancy exclaimed,
standing at the window.

'Good-bye, dear; good-bye! You shouldn't have come in weather such as
this. Get home as fast as you can. Good-bye!--Tell the fellow to drive
sharp.'

And the cab clattered away, sending spurts of mud on to Nancy's
waterproof.

She walked on for a few paces without reflection, until the vehicle
disappeared round a corner. Coming to herself, she made for the railway
again, which was at only a few minutes' distance, and there she sat down
by the fire in the waiting-room. Her health for the last year had been
sound as in the days of girlhood; it was rarely that she caught cold,
and weather would have been indifferent to her but for the discomfort
which hindered her free movement.

Vexed at so futile a journey, she resolved not to return home without
making another effort to learn something about Horace. The only person
to whom she could apply was the one who would certainly be possessed of
information,--Mrs. Damerel. At the time of Horace's engagement, Nancy
had heard from Mrs. Damerel, and replied to the letter; she remembered
her aunt's address, and as the distance was not great, the temptation to
go there now proved irresistible. Her husband would dislike to hear of
such a step, but he had never forbidden communication with Mrs. Damerel.

By help of train and omnibus she reached her new destination in
half-an-hour, and felt a relief on learning that Mrs. Damerel was at
home. But it surprised her to be conducted into a room where lamps were
burning, and blinds drawn close; she passed suddenly from cheerless day
to cosy evening. Mrs. Damerel, negligently attired, received