How the sun shines!"

"Yes, it's a fine day. Don't you think you could go out a little?"

"I think I should like to, but I can't walk very far, I'm afraid."

"You needn't walk at all, my dear. Your carriage shall be here whenever
you like to order it."

"My carriage?"

The exclamation was like a child's pleased wonder. She coloured a
little, and seemed ashamed.

"How is Mr. Waymark?" was her next question.

"Nothing much amiss now, I think. His eyes are painful, he says, and he
mustn't leave the room yet, but it won't last much longer. Shall we go
together and see him?"

She hesitated, but decided to wait till he could come down.

"But you'll go out, Ida, if I order the carriage?"

"Thank you, I should like to."

That first drive had been to Ida a joy unspeakable. To-day for the
first time she was able to sweep her mind clear of the dread shadow of
brooding, and give herself up to simple enjoyment of the hour.

Abraham went and told Waymark of all this as soon as they got back. In
the exuberance of his spirits he was half angry with the invalid for
being gloomy. Waymark had by this time shaken off all effects of his
disagreeable adventure, with the exception of a weakness of the eyes;
but convalescence did not work upon him as in Ida's case. He was
morose, often apparently sunk in hopeless wretchedness. When Abraham
spoke to him of Ida, he could scarcely be got to reply. Above all, he
showed an extreme impatience to recover his health and go back to the
ordinary life.

"I shall be able to go for the rents next Monday," he said to Mr.
Woodstock one day.

"I should have thought you'd had enough of that. I've found another man
for the job."

"Then what on earth am I to do?" Waymark exclaimed impatiently. "How am
I to get my living if you take that work away from me?"

"Never mind; we'll find something," Abraham returned. "Why are you in
such a hurry to get away, I should like to know?"

"Simply because I can't always live here, and I hate uncertainty."

There was something in the young man's behaviour which puzzled Mr.
Woodstock; but the key to the puzzle was very shortly given him. On the
evening of the same day he presented himself once more in Waymark's
room. The latter could not see him, but the first sound of his voice
was a warning of trouble.

"Do you feel able to talk?" Abraham asked, rather gruffly.

"Yes. Why?"

"Because I want to ask you a few questions. I've just had a call from
tha