Her purpose was to call upon Mrs. Quarrier, whom she had met not long ago at Highmead. But the lady was not at home. After a moment of indecision, she wrote on the back of her visiting card: "Will you be so kind as to let me know when I could see you? I will come at any hour." It was then midday. In the afternoon she received a note, hand-delivered. Mrs. Quarrier would be at home from ten to twelve the next morning. Again she called, and Lilian received her in the small drawing-room. They looked at each other with earnest faces, Lilian wondering whether this visit had anything to do with the election. Serena was nervous, and could not reply composedly to the ordinary phrases of politeness with which she was received. And yet the phrases were not quite ordinary; whomsoever she addressed, Lilian spoke with a softness, a kindness peculiar to herself, and chose words which seemed to have more than the common meaning. The visitor grew sensible of this pleasant characteristic, and at length found voice for her intention. "I wished to see you for a very strange reason, Mrs. Quarrier. I feel half afraid that I may even offend you. You will think me very strange indeed." Lilian trembled. The old dread awoke in her. Had Miss Mumbray discovered something? "Do let me know what it is," she replied, in a low voice. "It--it is about Mr. Eustace Glazzard. I think he is an intimate friend of Mr. Quarrier's?" "Yes, he is." "You are surprised, of course. I came to you because I feel so alone and so helpless. You know that I am engaged to Mr. Glazzard?" Her voice faltered. Relieved from anxiety, Lilian looked and spoke in her kindest way. "Do speak freely to me, Miss Mumbray. I shall be so glad to--to help you in any way I can--so very glad." "I am sure you mean that. My mother is very much against our marriage--against Mr. Glazzard. She wants me to break off. I can't do that without some better reason than I know of. Will you tell me what you think of Mr. Glazzard? Will you tell me in confidence? You know him probably much better than I do--though that sounds strange. You have known him much longer, haven't you?" "Not much longer. I met him first in London." "But you know him through your husband. I only wish to ask you whether you have a high opinion of him. How has he impressed you from the first?" Lilian reflected for an instant, and spoke with grave conscientiousness. "My husband considers him his best friend. He thinks very highly of him. They are unlike each other in many things. Mr. Quarrier sometimes wishes that he--that Mr. Glazzard were more active, less absorbed in art; but I have never heard him say anything worse than that. He likes him very much indeed. They have been friends since boyhood." The listener sat with bowed head, and there was a brief silence.