Part 47 (2/2)

Even as he spoke, before she silently shook her head, he knew she would have been back by noon had she missed her train.

Max had come and sniffed suspiciously at her skirts before he recognized her, and then he rubbed his head against her knee, and reached up to be patted. She let her hand rest a moment on his head, and then with cold, stiff fingers tried to help her uncle take off her cloak, and lift her bonnet from her dripping hair. She made no effort to wipe the rain from her face, and Dr. Howe, with his big handkerchief, tried clumsily to do it for her.

”What is the matter, my dear?” the rector was saying nervously. ”Is anything wrong with Mr. Ward? Have you had bad news? Tell me, my darling; you distress me by your silence.”

Helen's throat seemed dry, and she moved her lips once or twice before the words came. ”I have come back,” she answered slowly, looking with absent eyes at Max, who was furtively licking her hand. ”I have had a letter from John. So I have come back. I am very tired.”

She looked wearily around, and swayed a little from side to side. Dr.

Howe caught her in his arms. ”My dear,” he said, in a frightened voice, ”my dear--you are very ill. I'll fetch Jean--I'll send for Adele!”

Helen laid her shaking hand upon his arm. ”No, no,--I am not ill. I am only tired. I walked from Mercer, I think; I don't quite remember. Please do not call any one, uncle.”

In spite of the wildness of her words, it was not a delirious woman who was speaking to him, as he had thought. ”Try and tell me, then, what it all means,” he said; ”or stay,--first let me get you a gla.s.s of wine.”

He went shuffling along in his slippers to the dining-room, and came back with a winegla.s.s and the little fat decanter, with the silver collar clinking about its neck. He filled the gla.s.s, and held it to her lips, and then stood and looked at her as she drank, his lower lip thrust out, and perplexity and anxiety written on every feature.

Helen handed the gla.s.s back to him, and rose. ”Thank you, uncle Archie,”

she said. ”I--I must go up-stairs now. I am tired.”

”But, my dear child,” he remonstrated, ”my dear Helen, you must tell me what all this means, first.”

She looked at him entreatingly. ”Not now,--oh, not to-night.”

”But, Helen,” he said, ”I can't be kept in suspense, you know.”

He tried to put his arm about her, but she pushed it a little aside and shook her head. ”I will tell you,” she said, while Dr. Howe, not understanding his repulse, stood with parted lips and frowning eyebrows, polis.h.i.+ng his gla.s.ses on the skirt of his dressing-gown. Helen rubbed her hand across her forehead.

”I am a little confused,” she began, ”but--there is not much to say. John has written that I must not come back to Lockhaven. I shall never see my husband again, uncle Archie,” she added piteously.

”Why--why--why!” cried Dr. Howe. ”Bless my soul, what's all this? Mr.

Ward says my niece is not to return to her husband! Oh, come, now, come!”

”Need we say anything more to-night?” Helen said. ”I--I cannot talk.”

Nothing could have shown Dr. Howe's affection for his niece more than the way in which he said, looking at her in silence for a moment, ”My child, you shall do just what you please. Come up-stairs now, and get to bed. It will be a mercy if you're not laid up with a cold to-morrow. Would you rather not see Lois? Well, then, Jean shall come and make you comfortable.”

But Dr. Howe, shuffling over the bare stairs, and fuming to himself, ”What's all this! Nonsense, I say, perfect nonsense!” could not fail to arouse Lois, and she called out drowsily, ”Good-night, father, dear. Is anything the matter?”

”Nothing,--nothing!” cried the rector testily. ”Go to sleep. Come, Helen, take my arm, and let me help you.”

”Helen!” Lois exclaimed, wide awake, and springing from her bed to rush to her cousin. ”What is it?” she gasped, as she caught sight of the group.

”Nothing, I tell you,” said the rector. ”Go to bed at once; you'll take cold.”

But Helen, seeing the distressed face, put her hands on Lois's shoulders, and pushed her gently back into her room. ”I had to come back, Lois,” she said. ”I will tell you why, to-morrow. I am too tired, now. Don't speak to me, please, dear.”

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