t
the spring of them seemed to be suddenly unsealed, and they flowed fast
and free, and were not to be checked. Neither did Diana quite clearly
know what moved them. She was very sorry for Evan; yes, but these tears
she was shedding were not painful tears. It came home to her, all the
sorrowful waiting months and years that Basil had endured on her
account; but sympathy was not a spring large enough to supply such a
flow. She was glad those months were ended; yet they were not ended,
for Basil did not know the facts she had stated with so much clearness
to his whilome rival; she had not told himself, and he did not guess
them. "He might," said Diana to herself,--"he ought,"--at the same time
she knew now there was something for her to do. How she should do it,
she did not know.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

AT ONE.

They returned to Pleasant Valley that day, and Basil was immediately
plunged in arrears of business. For the present Diana had to attend to
her mother, whose conversation was anything but agreeable after she
learned that her son-in-law had accepted the call to Mainbridge.

"Ministers are made of stuff very like common people," she declared.
"Every one goes where he can get the most."

"You know Mr. Masters has plenty already, mother; plenty of his own."

"Those that have most already are always the ones that want more. I've
seen that a thousand times. If a man's property lies in an onion, he'll
likely give you half of it if you want it; if he's got all Pleasant
Valley, the odds are he won't give you an onion."

Diana would have turned the conversation, but Mrs. Starling came back
to the subject.

"What do you suppose you are going to do with me?"

"Mother, that is for you to choose. You know, where ever we are,
there's a home for you if you will have it."

"It's a pleasure to your husband to have me, too, ain't it?"

"It is always a pleasure to him to do what is right."

"Complimentary! You have grown very fond of him, haven't you, all of a
sudden?"

But this subject Diana would not touch. Not to her mother Not to any
one, till the person most concerned knew the truth; and most certainly
after that not to any one else. Evan had been told; there had been a
reason; she was glad she had told him.

"What do you suppose I'd do in Mainbridge?" Mrs. Starling went on.

"There is plenty to do, mother. It is because there is so much to do,
that we are going."

"Dressing and giving parties. I alway