"Worth, she left this house at two o'clock by that timepiece yesterday, instead of to-day, as we meant to do. She would not let any one go with her, because you were coming down the hill to meet her. Not expecting to go home that day, she had a pair of my silk stockings on, because--well, I need not go into that--and knowing what a darling little fidget she is, I thought she had sent you back with them, and to make your peace for so flurrying me." "Have you nothing more to tell me, Joan? I shall go mad while you dwell on your stockings. Who brought that letter? What is become of it? Did you see it? Can you think of anything? Oh, Joan, you women are so quick-witted! Surely you can think of something!" Mrs. Fermitage knew what her brother meant; but no sign would she show of it. The Squire was thinking of a little touch of something that might have grown up into love, if Grace had not been so shy about it, and so full of doubts as to what she ought to do. Her aunt had been anxious to help this forward; but not for the world to speak of it. "Concerning the letter, I only just saw it. I was up--well, well, I mean I happened to have something to do in my own room then. The dear creature knocked at my door, and I could not let her in at the moment----" "You were doing your wig--well, well, go on." "I was doing nothing of the kind--your anxiety need not make you rude, Worth. However, she put the letter under the door, and I saw that it was your handwriting, and so urgent that I was quite flurried, and she was off in two minutes, without my even kissing her. Oh, poor dear! My little dear! She said good-bye through the key-hole, and could not wait for me even to kiss her!" At this thought the elderly lady broke down, and could for the moment do nothing but sob. "Dear heart, dear heart!" cried the Squire, who was deeply attached to his sister; "don't take on so, my dear good Joan! We know of no harm as yet--that is"--for he thought of the coil of hair, but with strong effort forbore to speak of it--"nothing I mean in any way positive, or disastrous. She may have, you know--she may have taken it into her head to--to leave us for awhile, Joan." "To run away! To elope! Not she! She is the last girl in the world to do it. Whatever may have happened, she has not done that. You ought to know better than that, Worth." "Perhaps I do; I have no more time to talk of that, or any other thing. I shall hurry into Oxford, and see John Smith, and let everybody know of it. What do I care what people think? Send a man on horseback to Beckley at once. Have you any man worth a pinch of salt? You are always changing so." "I cannot keep cripples, or sots, dear brother. Take any one you please of them." "Any one who will deign to come, you should say. Deep snow tries the mettle of new-comers." CHAPTER VI. THE PUBLIC OF THE "PUBLIC."