u know."

"Will you really?" said the Professor, with hope in his voice.

"There's perhaps been some mistake about that letter," said Delia.
"You'd like to see Anna to-night, wouldn't you?"

"Well, I _should_," said Mr Goodwin. "It's very absurd, I know, but I
had such a strange dream just now about her and Prissy, and I can't get
it out of my head. I suppose being not quite up to the mark makes one
unreasonable, but I really don't think I could sleep without seeing her.
It's very good of you to go, my dear."

"I'll be back in no time, and bring her with me," said Delia.

She spoke with confidence, but half-way across the fields she stopped
her rapid pace, checked by a sudden thought--the picnic!

In her anxiety she had forgotten it. Anna might have started before Dr
Hunt's note got to Waverley. Even then, though, she said to herself,
she must be home by now. So she ran on again, and half an hour later
she was on her way back over the darkening fields--without Anna. She
had gone to the picnic, and she knew the Professor was ill! Once Delia
would have felt angry; now there was only room in her heart for one
thought: "He will be disappointed, and he will not sleep to-night."

The church clock struck nine as she entered the High Street in Dornton,
and the same sound fell faintly on Anna's ears on her way back from
Alderbury. The picnic had been over long ago, but, shortly after the
party started to return, one of the horses lost a shoe; the carriage in
which Anna was had to proceed at a slow walk for the rest of the
distance, and it would be very late before she could reach Waverley.

No accident, however, could damp her spirits, or those of her
companions. It was all turned into amusement and fun. The whole day
had been more delightful than any Anna had known. It was over now, that
delightful day, and she gave a little sigh of regret to think that she
was at the end of it instead of at the beginning. The one shadow which
had fallen across the brightness of it, had been cast by the substantial
figure of Mrs Winn, whom she had seen in the distance now and then.
Once she had noticed her in earnest conversation with Mrs Palmer, and
thought that they had both looked in her direction, but it had been easy
to avoid contact with her amongst so many people. It had not spoiled
her enjoyment then; but now, her excitement a little cooled down,
unpleasant thoughts began to make themselves heard.

Here was the Rec