tle.

'Uncle Abel, what are you thinking of? You never go journeys in trains.
It will not be safe for you to go to-day, with such a cold,' she
exclaimed.

'I am going, my dear, as I said, and so are you, whatever the
consequences, so get ready as fast as you like, so that we may have the
best of the day.'

'Is it a far journey?'

'You'll see when you get there,' he replied rather shortly; and Gladys,
still wondering much, made haste with her work, and began to dress for
this unexpected outing. But she felt uneasy, and, stealing a moment, ran
up to Walter, who was busy in the warehouse, and revelling in the
unaccustomed luxury of a blazing fire.

'How nice it is, and what a difference a fire can make, to be sure,' she
said quickly. 'I say, Walter, such a thing! Uncle Abel is going a
journey,--a railway journey, actually,--and I am going with him. Has he
said anything to you? Have you any idea what it means?'

'Not I. He's a queer old chap. Not off his head, I hope?'

'Oh no, and he says he is quite well. I don't know what to think.
Perhaps I shall understand it when I come back. You will find your
dinner in the oven, Walter; and be sure to keep up a good fire all day
down-stairs, in case uncle should come back very cold and tired. I am
afraid he will, but it is no use saying anything.'

Walter leaned his elbows on the soap-boxes, and looked into the girl's
face with a curious soberness.

'Something's going to happen, I feel it--something I don't like. I'm
oppressed with an awful queer feeling. I hope they're not worse than
usual at home.'

'Oh no, you are letting your imagination run away with you,' she said
brightly. 'I hope you will have such a busy day you won't have time to
think of such things;' and, bidding him good-morning, she ran down again
to her uncle.

Then, for the first time since that memorable and dreary journey from
the fen country, these two, the old man and the maiden, went forth
together. Both thought of that journey, though it was not spoken of. She
could not fail to see that there was a certain excitement in the old
man; it betrayed itself in his restless movements and in the gleam of
his piercing eye. Gladys no longer feared the glance of his eye nor the
sound of his voice. A quiet confidence had established itself between
them, and she really loved him. It was impossible for her to dwell
beside a human being, not absolutely repulsive, without pouring some of
the riches of her affect