ng that he was in the presence of
a sick person. Mrs. Goddard turned her pathetic face towards him and held
out her hand.

"I am so glad to see you," she said, trying to seem cheerful.

"I fear you are ill, Mrs. Goddard," answered the squire, looking at her
anxiously and then seating himself by her side. "Martha told me you had a
headache--I hope it is not serious."

"Oh no--not serious. Only a headache," she said with a smile so unlike
her own that Mr. Juxon began to feel nervous. His resolution to tell her
his errand began to waver; it seemed cruel, he thought, to disturb a
person who was evidently so ill with a matter so serious. He remembered
that she had almost fainted on a previous occasion when she had spoken to
him of her husband. She had not been ill then; there was no knowing what
the effect of a shock to her nerves might be at present. He sat still in
silence for some moments, twisting his hat upon his knee.

"Do not be disturbed about me," said Mrs. Goddard presently. "It will
pass very quickly. I shall be quite well to-morrow--I hope," she added
with a shudder.

"I am very much disturbed about you," returned Mr. Juxon in an unusually
grave tone. Mrs. Goddard looked at him quickly, and was surprised when
she saw the expression on his face. He looked sad, and at the same time
perplexed.

"Oh, pray don't be!" she exclaimed as though deprecating further remark
upon her ill health.

"I wish I knew," said the squire with some hesitation, "whether--whether
you are really very ill. I mean, of course, I know you have a bad
headache, a very bad headache, as I can see. But--indeed, Mrs. Goddard, I
have something of importance to say."

"Something of importance?" she repeated, staring hard at him.

"Yes--but it will keep till to-morrow, if you would rather not hear it
now," he replied, looking at her doubtfully.

"I would rather hear it now," she answered after some seconds of silence.
Her heart beat fast.

"You were good enough some time ago to tell me about--Mr. Goddard," began
Mr. Juxon in woeful trepidation.

"Yes," answered his companion under her breath. Her hands were clasped
tightly together upon her knees and her eyes sought the squire's
anxiously and then looked away again in fear.

"Well, it is about him," continued Mr. Juxon in a gentle voice. "Would
you rather put it off? It is--well, rather startling."

Mrs. Goddard closed her eyes, like a person expecting to suffer some
terrible pain. S