nd does not
seem in his usual spirits.'

'He wrote very cheerfully to Kester,' returned Audrey, taken aback at
this.

'Oh, letters never tell one anything,' replied Mrs. Blake impatiently.
'I daresay you thought I was as happy as possible from mine, just
because I must have my little jokes. We Blakes are all like that. I
daresay, if Cyril were here, you would see nothing amiss with him; but
you cannot blind a mother's eyes, Miss Ross.'

'I am very sorry,' returned Audrey gravely; 'perhaps Cornwall did not
agree with him; but he seemed very gay.'

'Oh, as to that, he was gay enough; people always make so much of
him--he has been a favourite all his life. I never knew any young man
with so many friends. He has gone up to London now to bid good-bye to
one of them who is going to India. We do not expect him back until quite
late to-morrow.'

'Indeed,' was Audrey's brief reply; but as she walked up the hill with
Mollie she was sensible of a feeling of relief. She liked Mr. Blake, she
had always liked him; but she had begun to find his quiet, persistent
watchfulness a little embarrassing--she felt that it invaded the perfect
freedom in which she delighted. Nevertheless, she was sensible of a
vague curiosity to know why Mr. Blake was not in his usual
spirits--could it be Miss Frances, after all?

'Mamma sent me away because she wanted to talk about Cyril,' observed
Mollie, with girlish shrewdness; 'she is worrying about him, because he
looks grave, and does not talk quite so much as usual; but I am sure he
is not ill. He was terribly vexed when Mr. Plumpton telegraphed for him.
I don't think I ever saw Cyril so put out before. He was quite cross
with mamma when she wanted to pack his big portmanteau. He declared he
did not mean to stay away longer than one night; but mamma said she knew
he could not be back until to-morrow evening. Just before he went away
he asked what time you were expected, and----'

'Never mind about that,' interrupted Audrey; 'we shall be at Hillside
directly, and I have heard nothing about yourself. Were you very dull
without Kester, Mollie? and were our letters long enough to satisfy
you?'

'Oh, they were just lovely!' returned Mollie enthusiastically; 'only
mamma complained that everyone had forgotten her, for even Cyril did not
write half so often. I used to read them over in the evening, and try
and imagine what you were doing; and I was not always dull, because I
had so much to do: but th