sound on the path showed her that some one was coming.

Rose, finding every one dispersed, had taken a walk by herself in the
wood. She was glad to be alone; she felt the presence of God in the
woods as very near and intimate. Her mind had one of those moments of
complete rest and feeding on beautiful things which come to those who
have known great mental suffering in their lives, and to whom the world
is not giving its gaudy preoccupations. So, walking amidst the glory of
spring lit by a spiritual sunshine, Rose came round a little stunted
yew-tree to find Molly kneeling on the ground ivy, and Edmund standing
by her. Molly rose in one movement to her full height, as if her legs
possessed no jointed impediments, and a fiercely negative expression
filled the grey eyes. Rose's kind hand had unwittingly slammed the
flood-gates in the moment they had opened; and Edmund, seeing that
look, and feeling the air electric, suddenly reverted to a belief in
Molly's sense of guilt towards Rose.

For the fraction of a second Rose looked helplessly at Edmund, and then
held out a little bunch of violets to Molly.

"Won't you have these? There; they suit so well with your gown."

With a quick and very gentle touch she put the violets into Molly's
belt, and smiled at her with the sunshine that was all about them.

Molly looked a little dazed, and the "Thank you" of her clear low voice
was mechanical.

"I was just coming for a few minutes' walk in the wood."