unhappy canon, folding and unfolding the letter he held, with agitated
fingers.

"I knew there would be a satisfactory explanation," said Mrs. Hewel,
tearfully. "Dear Lady Mary, having so inadvertently anticipated
Peter's letter, there is only one thing left for me to do. I must at
least leave you and Sir Timothy in peace to read it. Come, Sarah."

"Allow me to put you into your carriage," said Sir Timothy, in a voice
of iron.

Sarah followed them to the door, paused irresolutely, and stole back
to Lady Mary's side.

"Say you're not angry with me, dear, beautiful Lady Mary," she
whispered passionately. "Do say you're not angry. I didn't know it
would make you so unhappy. It was partly my fault for telling Peter
in the holidays that only old men, invalids, and--and cowards--were
shirking South Africa. I thought you'd be glad, like me, that Peter
should go and fight like all the other boys."

"Sarah," said Dr. Blundell, gently, "don't you see that Lady Mary
can't attend to you now? Come away, like a good girl."

He took her arm, and led her out of the hall; and Sarah forgot she had
grown up the day before yesterday, and sobbed loudly as she went away.

Lady Mary lifted the miniature from the table, and looked at it
without a word; but from the sofa, the two old sisters babbled audibly
to each other.