Ida seemed all at once to awake from a dream. She uttered a long
"Ah!" under her breath, and for a moment looked at the girl like one
who is struck with an unexpected explanation. Then she turned away
to the window, and again gazed up at the blue sky, standing so for
nearly a minute.

"Are you engaged to-night?" Sally asked presently.

"No; will you sit with me?"

"You're not feeling very well to-day, are you?"

"I think not," replied Ida, passing her hand over her forehead.
"I've been thinking of going out of London for a few days, perhaps
to the seaside."

"Go to Weymouth!" cried Sally, delighted at the thought. "Go and see
my people, and tell un how I'm getting on. They'll make you hide
with un all the time you're there, s'nough. It isn't a big house,
but it's comfortable, and see if our mother wouldn't look after you!
It's three weeks since I wrote; if I don't mind there'll be our
father up here looking after I. Now, do go!"

"No, it's too far. Besides, if I go, I shall want to be quite
alone."

On the following evening Waymark was expected. At his last visit he
had noticed that Ida was not in her usual spirits. To-night he saw
that something was clearly wrong, and when Ida spoke of going to the