"It is a quarter-past one o'clock, Mrs. Church." "Is it?" answered May, dreamily. "Yes, and I am sure Mr. Webster must require some refreshment after his journey," said Sister Margaret, in a very pointed manner. May now understood. "Oh! yes," she said, rising. "Will you come and have lunch with us now, Mr. Webster?" "I shall be very pleased, if you will allow me to do so," he answered. "Then, in that case, I will just hurry home and see that it is ready," said Sister Margaret, with alacrity. She was a handy woman, and instantly made up her mind to add considerably to the usual chops at their midday meal, on her way through the town, in honor of their guest. But she did not wish him to know this. "I will leave you in charge of Mr. Webster," she went on, and in a moment later hurried away so quickly that Webster looked after her with a smile. "I hope Sister Margaret is not going to give herself any trouble on my account," he said. May smiled; almost the first smile he had seen on her face since she had left Pembridge Terrace. "I think she must wish to improve our usual lunch on your account," she answered. "She is such a good, kind woman," she continued, "and she has gone through so much trouble, Mr. Webster." "Her face rather gives you that impression. But she looks happy enough now--or at least content." "It would be a great thing to feel content." "A great thing, indeed; to know no longer the restless craving for something we can not obtain." "And--and do you think--" began May, and then she paused, hesitated, and slightly colored. "Do I think what?" said Webster, and he turned round his head and looked at her. "Do you think we could ever feel happy again--after a great blow, a great shock?" "I think we could feel happy, but not the same happiness. A sort of sobered, perhaps, a wiser happiness, no doubt, might come to us." "It's dangerous to be too happy," said May, with downcast eyes and quivering lips. "Not many of us have the chance of being so," answered Webster, rising. "But, come, we must not keep Sister Margaret waiting." "No," and May also rose, and together they walked down the pier, but Webster merely talked of the people that they passed on their way. He wished her to forget, for a time at least, the shadow on her young life; the grief that had made it so hard to bear.