so much
reticence, seeing that the question had been raised in the presence
of them two alone? It was he who had persuaded Graham to undertake
this work, and now he went back from what he had done, and refused
even to speak upon the subject. "It must be that he thinks she is
guilty," said Graham to himself, as he lay down that night in bed.

But there had been something more for him to do before bedtime came.
He followed the judge into the drawing-room, and in five minutes
perceived that his host had taken up a book with the honest intention
of reading it. Some reference was made to him by his wife, but he
showed at once that he did not regard Graham as company, and that he
conceived himself to be entitled to enjoy the full luxury of home.
"Upon my word I don't know," he answered, without taking his eye off
the page. And then nobody spoke to him another word.

After another short interval Lady Staveley went to sleep. When Felix
Graham had before been at Noningsby, she would have rebelled against
nature with all her force rather than have slept while he was left to
whisper what he would to her darling. But now he was authorised to
whisper, and why should not Lady Staveley sleep if she wished it? She
did sleep, and Felix was left alone with his love.

And yet he was not altogether alone. He could not say to her those
words which he was now bound to say; which he longed to say in order
that he might know whether the next stage of his life was to be light
or dark. There sat the judge, closely intent no doubt upon his book,
but wide awake. There also sat Lady Staveley, fast asleep certainly;
but with a wondrous power of hearing even in her sleep. And yet how
was he to talk to his love unless he talked of love? He wished that
the judge would help them to converse; he wished that some one else
was there; he wished at last that he himself was away. Madeline sat
perfectly tranquil stitching a collar. Upon her there was incumbent
no duty of doing anything beyond that. But he was in a measure bound
to talk. Had he dared to do so he also would have taken up a book;
but that he knew to be impossible.

"Your brother will be down to-morrow," he said at last.

"Yes; he is to go direct to Alston. He will be here in the
evening,--to dinner."

"Ah, yes; I suppose we shall all be late to-morrow."

"Papa always is late when the assizes are going on," said Madeline.

"Alston is not very far," said Felix.

"Only two miles," she ans