best not to meddle."

"And what did she say to you?"

Chris told him the story, and Nicholas's eyes grew round and fixed as he
listened; his mouth was a little open, and he murmured inarticulate
comments as they rode together up from the mill.

"Lord!" he said at last, "and she said all that about hell. God save us!
And her tongue out of her mouth all the while! And did you see anything
yourself? No devils or angels?"

"I saw nothing," said Chris. "I just listened, but she saw them."

"Lord!" said Nicholas again, and rode on in profound silence.

The Maxwells were to stay to supper at the Court; and drive home
afterwards; so there was no opportunity for Chris to go down and bathe
in the lake as he usually did in summer after a day's hunting, for
supper was at seven o'clock, and he had scarcely more than time to
dress.

Nicholas was very talkative at supper, and poured out all that Chris had
told him, with his usual lack of discretion; for the other had already
told the others once all the details that he thought would interest
them.

"They were talking about the divorce," he broke out, and then stopped
and eyed Ralph craftily; "but I had better not speak of that here--eh,
Chris?"