No one who had once known her could ever mistake Agatha, be she seen ever so far off; and as she went on her way, a gentleman, crossing hastily from the opposite side of the square, saw her, started, and seemed inclined to shrink from recognition. But she, attracted by his manner, lifted up her eyes, and soon put an end to his uncertainty. Though a good deal surprised by the suddenness of the _rencontre_, there was no reason on earth why Mrs. Harper should not immediately go up and speak to her husband's brother. She did so, holding out her hand frankly. Major Harper's response was hesitating to a painful degree. He looked, in the common but expressive phrase, “as if he had seen a ghost.” “Who would have thought of meeting you here, Miss Bowen--Mrs. Harper I mean?” he added, seeing her smile at the already strange sound of her maiden name. What could have possessed Major Harper to be guilty of such uncourteous forgetfulness? “You evidently did not think I was my real self, or you would not have been going to pass me by; I--that is, _we_”---at the word Nathanael's wife cast off her shyness, and grew bravely dignified--“we came back to London two days ago.” “Indeed!” “Your brother,” she had not yet quite the courage to say “my husband,” when speaking of him, especially to Frederick Harper--“your brother thought you were out of town.” “I?--yes--no. No, it was a mistake. But are you not going in? Good morning!” In his confusion of mind he was handing her up the steps of Dr. Ianson's door, which they were just passing. Agatha drew back; at first surprised, then alarmed. His strange manner, his face, not merely pale but ghastly, the suppressed agitation of his whole aspect, seemed forewarnings of some ill. It was her first consciousness that she was no longer alone, in herself including alike all her pleasure and all her pain. “Oh, tell me,” she cried, catching his arm, “is there anything the matter? Where is my husband?” The quick fear, darting arrow-like to her heart, betrayed whose image lay there nearest and dearest now. Major Harper looked at her, looked and--sighed! “Don't be afraid,” he said kindly; “all is well with your husband, for aught I know. He is a happy fellow in having some one in the world to be alarmed on his account.”