t speaking, for her heart
was full, and the words would not come to her; but as she went she
said to herself that she would stay till the last.

Standing alone on the steps before the front door she found Lucius
Mason all alone, and some feeling moved her to speak a word to him as
she passed. "I hope all this does not trouble you much, Mr. Mason,"
she said, offering her hand to him. She felt that her words were
hypocritical as she was speaking them; but under such circumstances
what else could she say to him?

"Well, Mrs. Orme, such an episode in one's family history does give
one some trouble. I am unhappy,--very unhappy; but not too much
so to thank you for your most unusual kindness to my poor mother."
And then, having been so far encouraged by her speaking to him, he
accompanied her round the house on to the lawn, from whence a path
led away through a shrubbery on to the road which would take her by
the village of Coldharbour to The Cleeve.

"Mr. Mason," she said, as they walked for a few steps together before
the house, "do not suppose that I presume to interfere between you
and your mother."

"You have a right to interfere now," he said.

"But I think you might comfort her if you would be more with her.
Would it not be better if you could talk freely together about all
this?"

"It would be better," he said; "but I fear that that is no longer
possible. When this trial is over, and the world knows that she is
innocent; when people shall see how cruelly she has been used--"

Mrs. Orme might not tell the truth to him, but she could with
difficulty bear to hear him dwell thus confidently on hopes which
were so false. "The future is in the hands of God, Mr. Mason; but for
the present--"

"The present and the future are both in His hands, Mrs. Orme. I know
my mother's innocence, and would have done a son's part towards
establishing it;--but she would not allow me. All this will soon be
over now, and then, I trust, she and I will once again understand
each other. Till then I doubt whether I shall be wise to interfere.
Good morning, Mrs. Orme; and pray believe that I appreciate at its
full worth all that you are doing for her." Then he again lifted his
hat and left her.

Lady Mason from her window saw them as they walked together, and her
heart for a moment misgave her. Could it be that her friend was
treacherous to her? Was it possible that even now she was telling
everything that she had sworn that she would