his
own kind way, and it would not have been unlike him to omit the fact
that I was staying with you during the time Mrs. Avory was here.'

'She came down yesterday afternoon to say good-bye to me,' said Toffy
eagerly.

'And I arrived by the same train,' said Mrs. Wrottesley, 'which was
very convenient.'

Toffy got up from his chair and crossed to the other side of the hearth
and kissed Mrs. Wrottesley.

It was not an unusual thing for her to drive over to Hulworth to put
housekeeping matters straight when they were at their most acute stages
of discomfort, or when Toffy was more than common ill. She was quite
at home in the house, and she now drew up a writing-table to the fire
and penned a number of notes in her neat, precise hand, headed with the
Hulworth address, telling her friends how sad she considered the
accident of last night, how attentive Mr. Lawrence had been, and how,
of course, she must give up her engagements at home for the next few
days, as she would not dream of leaving until Mrs. Avory was able to
leave also. The notes fell like a series of cold douches upon the warm
interest and keen excitement prevalent at Culversham. Perhaps only
Miss Abingdon was sincerely glad that conventionalities had been in
force throughout.

'No one could be more delighted than I am that Mrs. Wrottesley was at
Hulworth,' she said, 'though I doubt if it is a very wise thing for a
married woman to pay visits without her husband. Still, no doubt Canon
Wrottesley in his usual broad-minded way arranged that she should be
there. He is always so thoughtful and self-sacrificing, and it's more
than good of him to spare his wife to nurse Mrs. Avory. He is an
example to us all.'

Canon Wrottesley had always been devoted to his wife. Her quiet dress
and her mantle had ever seemed to him the essence of good womanhood,
and he respected her for her considerable fortune as well as for her
unimpeachable orthodoxy. His highest term of praise of her was to
speak of her as the helpmeet for him.

The canon was now sitting in the very charming library of the house of
his Bishop, where he was spending a few days, and was busy inditing a
few lines to his wife to ask her if the latest news from Culversham was
true. He was warned by a curious presentiment that the information
which he had received was in accordance with facts, and, being always
ready with a word of counsel, Canon Wrottesley was writing to his wife
to warn her that