“Yes; I could not go away. I always thought it possible that there might be some errand--something you would tell me to do. At all events I must have stayed for----” The funeral he would have added. He could not but feel that though Alice had given him her hand, there was a little hesitation about her. “But, Mr. Fairfax,” Bell began again, “you were staying at the inn with--the little gentleman. Don’t you know he is our enemy now?” “I don’t think he is your enemy,” Fairfax said--which was not at all what he meant to say. “Hush, Bell, that was not what it was; only mamma thought--and I--that poor Paul was your friend and that you would not have put yourself--on the other side.” “_I_ put myself on the other side!” cried the young man. “Oh, how little you know! I was going to offer to go out to that place myself to make sure, for it does not matter where I go. I am not of consequence to any one like Paul; but----” “But--what?” Alice half put out her hand to him again. “You will not think this is putting myself on the other side. It all looks so dreadfully genuine,” said Fairfax, sinking his voice. Only Alice heard what he said. She was unreasonable, as girls are. “In that case we will not say anything more on the subject, Mr. Fairfax; you cannot expect us to agree with you,” she said. “Good-bye. I will tell mamma you have called.” She turned away from him as she spoke, then cast a glance at him from under her eyelids, angry yet relenting. They stood for a moment like the lovers in Molière, eying each other timidly, sadly--but there was no one to bring them together, to say the necessary word in the ear of each. Poor Fairfax uttered a sigh so big that it seemed to move the branches round. He said-- “Good-bye then, Miss Markham; won’t you shake hands with me before I go?” “Good-bye,” said Alice faintly. She wanted to say something more, but what could she say? Another moment and he was gone altogether, hurrying down the avenue. “Oh, how nasty you were to poor Mr. Fairfax,” cried Bell. “And he was always so kind. Don’t you remember, Marie, how he ran all the way in the rain to fetch the doctor? even George wouldn’t go. He said he couldn’t take a horse out, and was frightened of the thunder among the trees; but Mr. Fairfax only buttoned his coat and flew.” “The boys said,” cried little Marie, “that they were sure he would win the mile--in a moment----” “Oh, children,” cried Alice, “what do you know about it? you will break my heart talking such nonsense--when there is so much trouble in the house. I am going in to mamma.”