The clouds which had hung so low and densely during the day cleared from the west just now as the sun was setting, calling forth a weakly twitter from a few small birds. Owen crawled down the path to the waterfall, and lingered thereabout till the solitude of the place oppressed him, when he turned back and into the road to the village. He was sad; he said to himself-- ‘If there is ever any meaning in those heavy feelings which are called presentiments--and I don’t believe there is--there will be in mine to-day.... Poor little Cytherea!’ At that moment the last low rays of the sun touched the head and shoulders of a man who was approaching, and showed him up to Owen’s view. It was old Mr. Springrove. They had grown familiar with each other by reason of Owen’s visits to Knapwater during the past year. The farmer inquired how Owen’s foot was progressing, and was glad to see him so nimble again. ‘How is your son?’ said Owen mechanically. ‘He is at home, sitting by the fire,’ said the farmer, in a sad voice. ‘This morning he slipped indoors from God knows where, and there he sits and mopes, and thinks, and thinks, and presses his head so hard, that I can’t help feeling for him.’ ‘Is he married?’ said Owen. Cytherea had feared to tell him of the interview in the garden. ‘No. I can’t quite understand how the matter rests.... Ah! Edward, too, who started with such promise; that he should now have become such a careless fellow--not a month in one place. There, Mr. Graye, I know what it is mainly owing to. If it hadn’t been for that heart affair, he might have done--but the less said about him the better. I don’t know what we should have done if Miss Aldclyffe had insisted upon the conditions of the leases. Your brother-in-law, the steward, had a hand in making it light for us, I know, and I heartily thank him for it.’ He ceased speaking, and looked round at the sky. ‘Have you heard o’ what’s happened?’ he said suddenly; ‘I was just coming out to learn about it.’ ‘I haven’t heard of anything.’ ‘It is something very serious, though I don’t know what. All I know is what I heard a man call out bynow--that it very much concerns somebody who lives in the parish.’