unenlightened.

'Did Emma know you were coming?' she asked.

'Yes, I suppose she did. But it's hard to get her to attend to anything.
I've left her alone, 'cause there wasn't any one I could fetch at once.
Will you write to-day?'

'Yes, I'll see to it,' said Alice. 'Have some breakfast, will you?'

'Well, I don't mind just a cup o' coffee. It's very cold, and I had to
walk a long way before I could get a 'bus.'

Whilst Kate refreshed herself, Alice played nervously with her
tea-spoon, trying to make up her mind what must be done. The situation
was complicated with many miseries, but Alice had experienced a growth
of independence since her return from Wanley. All she had seen and heard
whilst with her brother had an effect upon her in the afterthought, and
her mother's abrupt surrender into her hands of the household control
gave her, when she had time to realise it, a sense of increased
importance not at all disagreeable. Already she had hired a capable
servant in addition to the scrubby maid-of-all-work who had sufficed
for Mrs. Mutimer, and it was her intention that henceforth domestic
arrangements should be established on quite another basis.

'I'll telegraph to Dick,' she said, presently. 'I've no doubt he'll see
that everything's done properly.'

'But won't he come himself?'

'We shall see.'

'Is your mother in?'

'She's not very well; I don't think I must disturb her with bad news.
Tell Emma I'm very sorry, will you? I do hope she isn't going to be ill.
You must see that she gets rest now. Was it sudden?' she added, showing
in her face how little disposed she was to dwell on such gloomy subjects
as death and burial.

'She was wandering all yesterday. I don't think she knew anything after
eight o'clock last night. She went off in a sleep.'

When the visitor had gone, Alice drove to the nearest telegraph office
and despatched a message to her brother, giving the news and asking
what should be done. By three o'clock in the afternoon no reply had yet
arrived; but shortly after Mr. Keene presented himself at the house.
Alice had not seen him since her return. He bowed to her with extreme
gravity, and spoke in a subdued voice.

'I grieve that I have lost time, Miss Mutimer. Important business had
taken me from home, and on my return I found a telegram from Wanley.
Your brother directs me to wait upon you at once, on a very sad subject,
I fear. He instructs me to purchase a grave in Manor Park Cemetery.