w--met alone;
and yet, upon the news of the Vicar's death, the first thought of nearly
everybody was for Maggie Clayhanger.

Mrs Hamps's eyes, swimming in the satisfaction of several simultaneous
woes, said plainly, "What about poor Maggie?"

"When did you hear?" Edwin asked. "It isn't in this afternoon's
paper."

"I've only just heard. He died at four o'clock."

She had come up immediately with the news as fresh as orchard fruit.

"And the Duke of Clarence is no better," she said, in a luxurious
sighing gloom. "And I'm afraid it's all over with Cardinal Manning."
She made a peculiar noise in her throat, not quite a sigh; rather a
brave protest against the general fatality of things, stiffened by a
determination to be strong though melancholy in misfortune.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three.

Maggie suddenly entered, hatted, with a jacket over her arm.

"Hello, auntie, you here!" They had already met that morning.

"I just called," said Mrs Hamps guiltily. Edwin felt as though Maggie
had surprised them both in some criminal act. They knew that Mr Heve
was dead. She did not know. She had to be told. He wished violently
that Auntie Hamps had been elsewhere.

"Everything all right?" Maggie asked Edwin, surveying the table. "I
gave particular orders about the eggs."

"As right as rain," said Edwin, putting into his voice a note of true
appreciation. He saw that her sense of duty towards him had brought her
back to the house. She had taken every precaution to ensure his
well-being, but she could not be content without seeing for herself that
the servant had not betrayed the trust.

"How are things--across?" he inquired.

"Well," said Maggie, frowning, "that's one reason why I came back sooner
than I meant. The doctor's just been. His temperature is getting
higher and higher. I wish you'd go over as soon as you've finished. If
you ask me, I think they ought to telegraph to his mother. But Janet
doesn't seem to think so. Of course it's enough when Mrs Orgreave
begins worrying about telegraphing for Janet to say there's no need to
telegraph. She's rather trying, Mrs Orgreave is, I must admit. All
that I've been doing is to keep her out of the bedroom. Janet has
everything on her shoulders. Mr Orgreave is just about as fidgety as
Mrs And of course the servants have their own work to do. Naturally
Johnnie isn't in!" Her tone grew sarcastic a