The actual moment of a parting is often softened by the confusion of
departure. That of the Merrifield family took place at the junction,
where Lady Merrifield with her brother remained in the train, to be
carried on to London.

Gillian, Valetta, and Fergus, with their aunt, changed into a train
for Rockstone, and Harry was to return to his theological college,
after seeing Mysie and Primrose off with nurse on their way to the
ancestral Beechcroft, whence Mysie was to be fetched to Rotherwood.
The last thing that met Lady Merrifield's eyes was Mrs. Halfpenny
gesticulating wildly, under the impression that Mysie's box was going
off to London.

And Gillian's tears were choked in the scurry to avoid a smoking-
carriage, while Harry could not help thinking---half blaming himself
for so doing---that Mysie expended more feeling in parting with Sofy,
the kitten, than with her sisters, not perceiving that pussy was the
safety-valve for the poor child's demonstrations of all the sorrow
that was oppressing her.

Gillian, in the corner of a Rockstone carriage, had time for the full
heart-sickness and tumult of fear that causes such acute suffering to
young hearts. It is quite a mistake to say that youth suffers less
from apprehension than does age; indeed, the very inexperience and
novelty add to the alarms, where there is no background of anxieties
that have ended happily, only a crowd of examples of other people's
misfortunes. The difference is in the greater elasticity and power
of being distracted by outward circumstances; and thus lookers-on
never guess at the terrific possibilities that have scared the