ll of grievous
trouble.

"You are blaming me in your heart," he said, "and saying to yourself
that I have deceived you. Will you trust me that I did not mean to do
so? I have got a cruel shock, dearest, and I beg of you to be kind and
forbearing with me. I owe you an explanation, and I will give it the
earliest moment I can. I cannot till I see further. In the meantime, I
swear to you that there is nothing in this that should shake your faith
in me. Do you trust me, Margery?"

"I would trust you against the whole world, John!" I cried, in a sudden
remorse for having ever doubted him. And, smiling and happy, I walked by
the side of his horse that evening down the avenue, and kissed my hand
to him over the gate as he rode away to dine at the Hall.

"Do not say anything to my mother about my knowing Miss Leonard," he
said, the last thing at parting; and I nodded and said, No, not unless
he bade me; and I tried not to wonder, and went back to the house
satisfied. And I was very merry all the evening; but at night, in my
bed, I listened for his return. An evil spirit reminded me of Rachel's
face when John said "I will go," and her quickness in arranging that I
should not accompany him. I said, "Margery, I am ashamed of you;
curiosity and jealousy are hateful; have nothing to do with them." And I
turned on my pillow and prayed for John; and then I heard him coming
into the house. So utterly still was everything by reason of the snow,
that I heard his every movement. Even after he had closed his door, I
thought I heard him walking about his room. And the wonder leaped up in
me again--why was he troubled? why could he not rest? I got up, and laid
my heart and ear against his door in a passion of dismay and sympathy.
Up and down, up and down; no thought of sleep after his fatigue. Oh,
what was this that had come between us? I went back to my bed and wept.

That was the first beginning of the trouble about Rachel Leonard. From
that day a shadow hung upon John. He went often to the Hall, for Mr.
Hill fastened upon him, and delighted in him, and would not live without
him. But the more he went to the Hall, the more the trouble grew upon
him; and I could not but date its beginning from the arrival of Rachel
Leonard, seeing that, before he met her that morning upon the road, he
had seemed as radiantly happy as it is possible for any man to be. And
the more the trouble grew upon him, the more reserved he became on the
subject of t