in the evening. In the first place Mr. Yottle had to be sent for from a
friend's house in the country, where he was spending Sunday; then there
was long waiting for a train back to Agworth. The Rodmans, much puzzled
to account for the disorder, postponed dinner. Adela, however, dined
alone, and but slightly, though she had not eaten since breakfast. Then
fatigue overcame her. She slept an unbroken sleep till sunrise.

On going down next morning she found 'Arry alone in the dining-room;
he was standing at the window with hands in pocket, and, after a glance
round, averted his face again, a low growl his only answer to her
morning salutation. Mr. Rodman was the next to appear. He shook hands as
usual. In his 'I hope you are well?' there was an accent of respectful
sympathy. Personally, he seemed in his ordinary spirits. He proceeded to
talk of trifles, but in such a tone as he might have used had there been
grave sickness in the house. And presently, with yet lower voice and a
smile of good-humoured resignation, he said--

'Our journey, I fear, must be postponed.'

Adela smiled, not quite in the same way, and briefly assented.

'Alice is not very well,' Rodman then remarked. 'I advised her to have
breakfast upstairs. I trust you excuse her?'

Mutimer made his appearance. He just nodded round, and asked, as he
seated himself at table--

'Who's been letting Freeman loose? He's running about the garden.'

The dog furnished a topic for a few minutes' conversation, then there
was all but unbroken silence to the end of the meal. Richard's face
expressed nothing in particular, unless it were a bad night. Rodman
kept up his smile, and, eating little himself, devoted himself to polite
waiting upon Adela. When he rose from the table, Richard said to his
brother--

'You'll go down as usual. I shall be at the office in half-an-hour.'

Adela presently went to the drawing-room. She was surprised to find
Alice sitting there. Mrs. Rodman had clearly not enjoyed the unbroken
rest which gave Adela her appearance of freshness and calm; her eyes
were swollen and red, her lips hung like those of a fretful child that
has tired itself with sobbing, her hair was carelessly rolled up, her
attire slatternly. She sat in sullen disorder. Seeing Adela, she dropped
her eyes, and her lips drew themselves together. Adela hesitated to
approach her, but was moved to do so by sheer pity.

'I'm afraid you've had a bad night,' she said kindly.

'