, and he walked the rest of the way to
Westbridge.

Chapter XXX

The next morning, which was Sunday, Maria could not go to church. An
utter weariness and lassitude, to which she was a stranger, was over
her. Evelyn remained at home with her. Evelyn still had the idea
firmly fixed in her mind that Maria was grieving over Professor Lane.
It was also firmly fixed in Aunt Maria's mind. Aunt Maria, who had
both suspicion and imagination, had conceived a reason for Maria's
mysterious absence the night before. She knew that Professor Lane was
to take a night train from Westbridge. She jumped at the conclusion
that Maria had gone to Westbridge to see him off, and had missed the
trolley connection. There were two trolley-lines between Amity and
Westbridge, and that accounted for her walking to the house. Aunt
Maria was mortified and angry. She would have been mortified to have
her niece so disturbed over any man who had not proposed marriage to
her, but when she reflected upon Professor Lane, his sunken chest,
his skinny throat, and his sparse gray hair, although he was yet a
handsome man for his years, she experienced a positive nausea. She
was glad when Evelyn came down in the morning and said that Maria had
called to her, and said she did not want any breakfast and did not
feel able to go to church.

"Do you think sister is going to be sick, Aunt Maria?" Evelyn said,
anxiously. Then her sweet eyes met her aunt's, and both the young and
the old maid blushed at the thought which they simultaneously had.

"Sick? No," replied Aunt Maria, crossly.

"I guess I will stay home with her, anyway," Evelyn said, timidly.

"Well, you can do jest as you are a mind to," said Aunt Maria. "I'm
goin' to meetin'. If folks want to act like fools, I ain't goin' to
stay at home and coddle them."

"Oh, Aunt Maria, I don't think sister acts like a fool," Evelyn said,
in her sweet, distressed voice. "She looks real pale and acts all
tired out."

"I guess she'll survive it," said Aunt Maria, pouring the coffee.

"Don't you think I had better make some toast and a cup of tea for
her, if she does say she doesn't want any breakfast?"

"Maria Edgham is old enough to know her own mind, and if she says she
don't want any breakfast I'd let her go without till she was hungry,"
said Aunt Maria. She adored Maria above any living thing, and just in
proportion to the adoration she felt angry with her. It was a great
relief to her not to see her