decline to gratify it. If you do, you
will spoil your own hand. The girl must take her chance--oh! clearly
the girl must take her chance. But all the same, John, you are very
sorry for her--very. Come, come, you must be off, or her ladyship and
the gentle George will be kept waiting," and away he went at a brisk
pace, cheerfully singing a verse of a comic song. Sir John was a merry
little man.

In due course Angela reached the rectory, and found Mr. Fraser seated
in his study reading.

"Well, my dear, what brings you here? What a dreary night!"

"Yes, it is dreadfully damp and lonesome; the people look like ghosts
in the mist, and their voices sound hollow. A proper day for evil
things to creep home," and she laughed drearily.

"What do you mean," he answered, with a quick glance at her face,
which wore an expression of nervous anxiety.

"I mean that Lady Bellamy has come home; is she not an evil thing?"

"Hush, Angela; you should not talk so. You are excited, dear. Why
should you call her evil?"

"I don't know; but have you ever noticed her? Have you never seen her
creep, creep, like a tiger on its prey? Watch her dark face, and see
the bad thoughts come and peep out of her eyes as the great black
pupils swell and then shrivel, till they are no larger than the head
of this black pin, and you will know that she is evil, and does evil
work."

"My dear, my dear, you are upset to talk so."

"Oh! no, I am not upset; but did you ever have a presentiment?"

"Plenty; but never one that came true."

"Well, I have a presentiment now--yes, a presentiment--it caught me in
the mist."

"What is it? I am anxious to hear."

"I don't know--I cannot say; it is not clear in my mind. I cannot see
it, but it is evil, and it has to do with that evil woman."

"Come, Angela, you must not give way to this sort of thing; you will
make yourself ill. Sit down, there is a good girl, and have some tea."

She was standing by the window staring out into the mist, her fingers
alternately intertwining and unlacing themselves, whilst an unusual--
almost an unearthly expression, played upon her face. Turning, she
obeyed him.

"You need not fear for me. I am tough, and growing used to troubles.
What was it you said? Oh! tea. Thank you; that reminds me. Will you
come and have dinner with me to-morrow after church? It is Christmas
Day, you know. Pigott has given me a turkey she has been fatting, and
I made the mincemeat myself, so there