Before the 12th of October my son was taken ill, as I had feared. And the rest--you know. The time when I could tell you this has now come. It has come because nothing can again disturb the Major's peace. He is near us in touch, and close to our love, but earth's sorrows and pains can trouble him no more. I can therefore tell you, and I do it for two reasons. One is that it will explain to you the course we took; it will explain to you what Sara said that afternoon, for I think that it has grieved you--what Sara said. It was an expedient that she thought of to divert your attention, to stop further action on your part. We knew--from your having tried to see the Major, and see him alone--that you had learned something; how much, we could not tell. And when you came again the next day, and spoke as you did, first to me, and then to her, and I was frightened and lost my courage, fearing lest you should speak to others also; then Sara took the only expedient she could think of to silence you, to stop you effectually, and thus secure her father's peace. But it was only an expedient, Mr. Owen. It was never true." She paused for the first time in the utterance of her brief sentences, turned her head, and looked at him with her faded, tired eyes. Owen's own eyes were wet. "Even before that," he said, "and I do not deny how important it is to me--more important than anything else in the world--even before that, Madam Carroll, I beg you to say that you forgive me, that you forgive what I did and said. I did not know--how could I?--and I was greatly troubled." "I think I can say that I have forgiven you," answered Madam Carroll. "I did not at first; I did not for a long time. It is all over now; and of course you did not know. But you never understood my son--you could not; and therefore--if you will be so good--I should prefer that you should not speak to me of him again; it is much the easiest way for us both." She turned her eyes back to the wall. "About Sara," she continued, without pause, "it was a pity. It has been a long time for you to wait--with that--that mistaken belief on your mind. But, while the Major was still with us in his consciousness and his memory, I could not tell to you, a stranger, what I was not able to tell him." "You were afraid to trust me!" said Owen, a pained expression coming into his face. "Yes," answered Madam Carroll, simply. "You did not know then that I felt as far as possible from being a stranger? That I wished--that I have tried--" "That is later; I was coming to that. Yes--since I have known that you cared so much for her (though I knew it long ago!)--since you have spoken, rather, I have felt that I wished to tell you, that I would gladly tell you, as soon as I could. The time has come, and it came earlier than I expected, though I knew it could not be long delayed. I have taken the earliest hour." "Then she--then Miss Carroll told you that I--that I had spoken?" said Owen.