The young man turned pale.

"Perhaps she has gone upstairs to take her things off," he muttered,
resuming his seat. "Don't--don't hurry her!"

"I wasn't going to," said Mr. Mott.

He twisted his beard uneasily, and at the end of ten minutes looked from
the clock to Mr. Hurst and coughed.

"If you wouldn't mind letting her know I'm waiting," said the young man,
brokenly.

Mr. Mott rose, and went slowly upstairs. More slowly still, after an
interval of a few minutes, he came back again.

"She doesn't want to see you," he said, slowly.

Mr. Hurst gasped.

"I--I must see her," he faltered.

"She won't see you," repeated Mr. Mott. "And she told me to say she was
surprised at you following her down here."

Mr. Hurst uttered a faint moan, and with bent head passed into the little
passage and out into the street, leaving Mr. Mott to return to the
sitting-room and listen to such explanations as Miss Garland deemed
advisable. Great goodness of heart in the face of persistent and