rrupting him; "I
might have known you'd want to be on hand for any new developments. I
don't know how we're going to live through it up here; you don't feel it
so much down in the town--I don't believe I could go through it without
Aileen up here with me, for the twins aren't old enough to depend on or
to be told everything; they're no company at such times, and of course I
sha'n't tell them, they wouldn't sleep a wink; I miss my boys
dreadfully--"

"Tell them what? What do you mean by 'to-night'?" Aileen demanded, a
sudden sharpness in her voice.

"Why, don't you know?"--She turned to Octavius, "Haven't you told her?"

Her appeal fell on departing and intentionally deaf ears; for Octavius,
upon hearing Aileen's sudden and amazed question, abruptly bade them
good-night, spoke to the mare and was off at a rapid pace before Mrs.
Caukins comprehended that the telling of the latest development was left
to her.

She set about it quickly enough, and what with her nervousness, her
sympathy for that mother across the Rothel, her anxiety for the Colonel,
her fear of the trial to which his powers of endurance were about to be
put, and the description of his silent suffering during the last week,
she failed to notice that Aileen said nothing. The girl busied herself
with setting the table and preparing tea, Mrs. Caukins, meanwhile,
rocking comfortably in her chair and easing her heart of its heavy
burden by continual drippings of talk after the main flow of her tale
was exhausted.

Presently, just after sunset, the twins came rushing in. Evidently they
were full of secrets--they were always a close corporation of two--and
their inane giggles and breathless suppression of what they were
obviously longing to impart to their mother and Aileen, told on Mrs.
Caukins' already much worn nerves.

"I wish you wouldn't stay out so long after sundown, children, you worry
me to death. I don't say but the quarries are safe enough, but I do say
you never can tell who's round after dusk, and growing girls like you
belong at home."

She spoke fretfully. The twins exchanged meaning glances that were lost
on their mother, who was used to their ways, but not on Aileen.

"Where have you been all this time, Dulcie?" she asked rather
indifferently. Her short teaching experience had shown her that the only
way to gain children's confidence is not to display too great a
curiosity in regard to their comings and goings, their doings and
undoings