tty well. I
declare he gave me a shock, he looked utterly heart-broken; and he
said: 'It is so sudden, so frightfully sudden--about the pater; the
money may come back somehow or other, but he is gone for ever; I'll
never see him again. If he had only known me--or spoken to me!' And
then he just laid his head upon his arms and sobbed like a girl."

"And Mrs. Shafto, how does _she_ bear this double loss?" inquired Miss
Jane magisterially.

"She had one fit of screaming hysterics after another. If you ask
_me_, I believe it's the money that touches her most keenly; my husband
begged me to go up this morning, and see if I could do anything. She
has no intimate friends here, and I have sent to Mrs. Boomer and Mrs.
Jake; they will be over from Bricklands immediately. The doctor has
given a certificate, and has undertaken to see about the funeral, and
sent the notice to the _Times_ and _Morning Post_. From what old
Hannah told me, it seems that Mr. Shafto and his family were not on
terms; I believe the quarrel had something to do"--she paused and
glanced from one to the other of her eager listeners--"with Mrs.
Shafto, and I am not surprised. They did not approve of the
marriage--it was a mistake."

"I'm afraid it was," agreed Miss Mitty briskly; "they never appeared a
well-matched couple; he, so reserved and aristocratic, and she such a
gabbling, fluffy, restless creature--crazy about bridge and dress. I
wonder who she was?"

"I can tell you that!" was Mrs. Billing's unexpected reply. "Mr.
Shafto was a Fellow of his College at Oxford, wealthy and
distinguished--he had taken no end of honours. He was hooked--there is
no other word for it--by the niece of a local book-seller! He was an
important customer, and the girl always contrived to be there, when he
came in and out, and was so sympathetic, and bright and lively, as well
as being uncommonly pretty, that the poor man lost his head and, with
very little pressure from the uncle, married her. It was all scrambled
up in a hurry, before his friends could turn round, or interfere. Of
course he had to resign his fellowship and his beautiful rooms
overlooking the garden, and he took his bride abroad. His relations
dropped him and he dropped his Oxford friends; then he went and settled
in the north. He must have lived there for years; his next move was
here."

"And have you always known this?" demanded Miss Mitty, her countenance
expressing injury and jealousy.