Good-by for the present."

Edith held out her hand. Miss Plympton took it, let it go, and folding
Edith in her arms, she burst into tears.

"I'm afraid--I'm afraid," said she.

"What of?" said Edith.

"About you," moaned Miss Plympton.

"Nonsense," said Edith. "I shall call on you to-morrow as soon as you
are up."

Miss Plympton sighed.

Edith held out her hand to her maid, Richards, and kindly bade her
good-by. The girl wept bitterly, and could not speak. It was an unusual
thing for Edith to do, and was rather too solemn a proceeding in view of
a short separation for one night, and this struck Edith herself. But who
knows what one night may bring forth?

Edith now left them, and, passing through the gate, she stood and waved
her hand at them. The porter followed and shut the gate. Miss Plympton,
the maid, the driver, and John all stood looking after Edith with uneasy
faces. Seeing that, she forced a smile, and finding that they would not
go till she had gone, she waved a last adieu and entered the brougham.
As she did so she heard the bolt turn in the lock as the porter fastened
the gate, and an ominous dread arose within her. Was this a
presentiment? Did she have a dim foreshadowing of the future? Did she