Stella here burst into tears. She had an affection for her aunt,
who had always been kind to her in a hard, cold way, and she was
deeply grieved at their estrangement, but there were forces in
life which she knew now mattered more than any aunts in the world.

Mrs. Ebley did not relent at the sound of the sobbing, but left
the room, closing the door firmly after her. And a few minutes
afterward Martha was let in by the chambermaid without knocking
and sat down grimly by the window and began to knit.

Then Stella's tears turned to resentment. To be insulted so! To
have a servant sent to watch her was more than she would bear. But
as she turned in bed she felt her lover's note touch her and like
a magic wand a thrill of comfort rushed through her. After all, he
would settle things for her--and meanwhile she would close her
eyes and pretend to sleep. So with her precious love letter
clasped tight in her hand under the clothes she turned her face to
the wall and shut her eyes.

Meanwhile, Canon Ebley and the Reverend Eustace Medlicott were
spending a very disagreeable time in the reading-room. Relieved of
Mrs. Ebley's presence, Eustace had recounted more fully the
interview he had had with Sasha Roumovski the night before. He was
not a very accurate person and apt to color everything with his
own prejudice, so Canon Ebley did not obtain a very clear idea of
the Russian's arguments. They seemed to him to be very unorthodox
and carnal and reprehensible from all points. But it was evident
they were dealing with a clever and dangerous character and Stella
must be rescued from such a person's influence and married off to
her lawful fiance at once.