"He got home last night. St. George drove him from Worcester in his gig," said Tod, and went on to explain that we had passed them in Dip Lane. Darbyshire was uncommonly pleased. Brook was a favourite of his. "I am surprised that I have not seen him," he cried; "I have been about all the morning. St. George was in Worcester yesterday, I know. Wonder, though, what induced them to make a pilgrimage through Dip Lane!" Just, you see, as the rest of us had wondered. We went on towards Mrs. Brook's. But in passing Mr. Delorane's, Aunt Hester's head appeared above the Venetian blind of the dining-room. She began nodding cordially. "How lively she looks," exclaimed the Squire. "Pleased that he is back, I take it. Suppose we go in?" The front-door was standing open, and we went in unannounced. Aunt Hester, sitting then at the little work-table, making herself a cap with lace and pink ribbons, got up and tried to shake hands with all three of us at once. "We are on our way to call on William Brook," cried the Squire, as we sat down, and Aunt Hester was taking up her work again. "On William Brook!--why, what do you mean?" she exclaimed. "Has he come?" "You don't mean to say you did not know it--that he has not been to see you?" cried the Squire. "I don't know a thing about it; I did not know he had come; no one has told me," rejoined Aunt Hester. "As to his coming to see me--well, I suppose he would not feel himself at liberty to do that until Mr. Delorane gave permission. When did he arrive? I am so glad." "And he is not much behind his time, either," observed Tod. "Not at all behind it, to speak of, only we were impatient. The truth is, I caught somewhat of Ellin's fears," added Aunt Hester, looking at us over her spectacles, which she rarely wore higher than the end of her nose. "Ellin has had gloomy ideas about his never coming back at all; and one can't see a person perpetually sighing away in silence, without sighing a bit also for company. Did he get here this morning? What a pity Ellin is in Worcester!" We told Aunt Hester all about it, just as we had told Darbyshire, but not quite so curtly, for she was not in a hurry to be off to a poisoned patient. She dropped her work to listen, and took off her spectacles, looking, however, uncommonly puzzled. "What a singular thing--that you should chance to have been in Dip Lane just at the time they were!--and why should they have chosen that dreary route! But--but----" "But what, ma'am?" cried the Squire. "Well, I am thinking what could have been St. George's motive for concealing the news from me when he came round here last night to tell me he had left Ellin safely at Philip West's," replied she. "Did he say nothing to you about William Brook?" "Not a word. He said what a nasty drive home it had been in the teeth of the storm and wind, but he did not mention William Brook. He seemed tired, and did not stay above a minute or two. John was out. Oh, here is John."