The headache, which had scarcely left her for a fortnight, was now so acute that all her thoughts were confused; she felt as if she were walking in a dream. It seemed perfectly right and natural that Hammond should stand by her side and protect her from the crowd; it seemed natural to her at that moment, natural and even right to appeal to him. After a long pause he said: “I am afraid I also have bad news!” “How?” “I went to see my uncle, Mr. Hayes.” “Yes; it was good of you— I remember.” “I failed in my mission. Mr. Hayes says that Miss Peel, our Prissie’s aunt, would rather die than accept help from any one.” “Oh, how obstinate some people are!” replied Maggie wearily. “Happiness, help and succor come to their very door and they turn these good things away.” “That is true,” replied Hammond. “I am firmly convinced,” he added, “that the good angel of happiness is within the reach of most of us once at least in our lives, but for a whim— often for a mere whim— we tell him to go.” Maggie’s face grew very white. “I must say ‘good-by’: I am going home,” she said, rising. Then she added, looking full at Hammond, “Sometimes it is necessary to reject happiness; and necessity ought not to be spoken of as a whim.” CHAPTER XXX “IF I HAD KNOWN YOU SOONER” As Maggie was leaving the crowded drawing-room she came face to face with Rosalind. One of those impulses which always guided her, more or less, made her stop suddenly and put her hand on the young girl’s shoulder. “Will you come home with me?” she asked. Rosalind was talking gaily at the moment to a very young undergraduate. “I am obliged to you,” she began; “you are kind, but I have arranged to return to St. Benet’s with Miss Day and Miss Marsh.” “I should like you to come now with me,” persisted Maggie in a grave voice. Something in her tone caused Rosalind to turn pale. The sick fear, which had never been absent from her heart during the evening, became on the instant intolerable. She turned to the young lad with whom she had been flirting, bade him a hasty and indifferent “good night” and followed Maggie out of the room. Hammond accompanied the two girls downstairs, got their cab for them and helped them in. After Rosalind consented to come home Miss Oliphant did not address another word to her. Rosalind sat huddled up in a corner of the cab; Maggie kept the window open and looked out. The clear moonlight shone on her white face and glistened on her dress. Rosalind kept glancing at her. The guilty girl’s terror of the silent figure by her side grew greater each moment. The girls reached Heath Hall and Maggie again touched Rosalind on her arm. “Come to my room,” she said; “I want to say something to you.” Without waiting for a reply she went on herself in front. Rosalind followed abjectly; she was shaking in every limb.