able sincerity Rolfe was able to maintain the needlessness
of divulging anything beyond the state of Abbott's health and his
pecuniary troubles.

'It isn't as if we had lived on ill terms with each other,' said the
widow, with a sigh of gratitude. 'Anything but that. Until of late we
never knew a difference, and the change that came was wholly my fault.
I hadn't the honesty to speak out and say what was in my mind. I never
openly opposed his wish to leave London. I pretended to agree to
everything, pretended. He showed me all his reasons, put everything
simply and plainly and kindly before me, and if I had said what I
thought, I feel sure he would have given it up at once. It was in my
own hands to decide one way or the other.'

'Why should you reproach yourself so with mere thoughts, of which he
never became aware?'

'Oh, it was yesterday, when he came back from the City. He knew then
that I was glad he couldn't carry out his purpose. He looked at me as
he never had done before--a look of surprise and estrangement. I shall
always see that look on his face.'

Harvey talked in the strain of solace, feeling how extraordinary was
his position, and that of all men he had least fitness for such an
office. It relieved him when, without undue abruptness, he could pass
to the practical urgencies of the case. Were Wager's children still in
the house? Alas! they were, and Mrs. Abbott knew not what to do about
them.

'You can't think of anyone who would take them--for a day or two, even?'

Among her acquaintances there was not one of whom she could venture to
ask such a service. 'People have such a dread of children.' Her sister
was a governess in Ireland; other near relatives she had none. Edgar
Abbott's mother, old and in feeble health, lived near Waterbury; how
was the dreadful news to be conveyed to her?

Harvey bestirred himself. Here, at all events, was a call to active
usefulness; he felt the privilege of money and leisure.

'Can you give me the name of any one at Waterbury who would be a fit
person to break the news to Mrs. Abbott?'

Two names were mentioned, and he noted them.

'I will send telegrams at once to both.'

'You will say it was an accident----'

'That shall be made clear. As for the children, I think I can have them
taken away this morning. In the house where I live there is a decent
woman who I dare say would be willing to look after them for the
present. Will you leave this entirely in my hand