ow. The crowd had mostly dispersed, but a few
people stood about on the green, and a policeman was stationed outside
the cottage. On the steps stood Aldous Raeburn, his horse held behind
him by a boy.

She went and opened the door.

"I will come," she said at once. "There--I see Mrs. Mullins crossing the
common. Now I can leave her."

Aldous, taking off his hat, closed the door behind him and stood with
his hand on Marcella's arm, looking at the huddled woman on the settle,
at the pale children. There was a solemnity in his expression, a mixture
of judgment and pity which showed that the emotion of other scenes
also--scenes through which he had just passed--was entering into it.

"Poor unhappy souls," he said slowly, under his breath. "You say that
you have got some one to see after her. She looks as though it might
kill her, too."

Marcella nodded. Now that her task, for the moment, was nearly over, she
could hardly restrain herself nervously or keep herself from crying.
Aldous observed her with disquiet as she put on her hat. His heart was
deeply stirred. She had chosen more nobly for herself than he would have
chosen for her, in thus daring an awful experience for the sake of
mercy. His moral sense, exalted and awed by the sight of death,
approved, worshipped her. His man's impatience pined to get her away, to
cherish and comfort hen Why, she could hardly have slept three hours
since they parted on the steps of the Court, amidst the crowd of
carriages!

Mrs. Mullins came in still scared and weeping, and dropping frightened
curtseys to "Muster Raeburn." Marcella spoke to her a little in a
whisper, gave some counsels which filled Aldous with admiration for the
girl's practical sense and thoughtfulness, and promised to come again
later. Mrs. Hurd neither moved nor opened her eyes.

"Can you walk?" said Aldous, bending over her, as they stood outside the
cottage. "I can see that you are worn out. Could you sit my horse if I
led him?"

"No, let us walk."

They went on together, followed by the eyes of the village, the boy
leading the horse some distance behind.

"Where have you been?" said Marcella, when they had passed the village.
"Oh, _please_ don't think of my being tired! I had so much rather know
it all. I must know it all."

She was deathly pale, but her black eyes flashed impatience and
excitement. She even drew her hand out of the arm where Aldous was
tenderly holding it, and walked on erect by her