'Ell, how silly this is!' he said indignantly. 'Running away from home--I
never heard such a thing! Of course I am not jealous of this unfortunate
man; but it is too ridiculous that you, a married woman with three
children and a fourth coming, should go losing your head like this over a
dead lover! . . . Do you know you were locked in? You might not have
been able to get out all night.'

She did not answer.

'I hope it didn't go far between you and him, for your own sake.'

'Don't insult me, Will.'

'Mind, I won't have any more of this sort of thing; do you hear?'

'Very well,' she said.

He drew her arm within his own, and conducted her out of the Cemetery. It
was impossible to get back that night; and not wishing to be recognized
in their present sorry condition, he took her to a miserable little
coffee-house close to the station, whence they departed early in the
morning, travelling almost without speaking, under the sense that it was
one of those dreary situations occurring in married life which words
could not mend, and reaching their own door at noon.

The months passed, and neither of the twain ever ventured to start a
conversation upon this episode. Ella seemed to be only too frequently in
a sad and listless mood, which might almost have been called pining. The
time was approaching when she would have to undergo the stress of