"I am enclosing a paper of trains for Monday. Mr. Wells has to go that way, as it happens, and he will see me into my train at the Junction. He has been very good and kind to me. I do hope you will know him some day. "Would my father or somebody meet me at our station because I shall want a little help in getting out of the train? Please give love to everybody, and believe me ever,—Your affectionate child, "EUPHRASIA." "I knew it! I was sure something was wrong!" exclaimed Mrs. Mackenzie, on receipt of this letter. "She has not been like herself all through. Poor dear child!—just hiding from us how bad she was! I hope it does not mean a lame knee for life. That sort of injury is so troublesome." "I trust not, indeed, my dear!" "Of course, the doctor would say the best he could to her, but I know what knees are! Well, I felt perfectly sure all along that things were not right; and you see it has been just as I expected!" Colin Mackenzie might have assured his wife that she usually did feel sure of things not being "right," and that he did not find her by any means an invariably true prophetess. But he wisely forbore from so useless an effort. "It may be that things have been more 'right' than they seem," he suggested, mindful of his visit to the Rectory. "I do not think we can always judge. Euphrasia has shown a brave spirit, dear child!—saying nothing about it all these weeks! I will meet her at the Junction and bring her home. She cannot be fit for travelling alone. That old doctor must be an uncommonly kind man!" Only, as we know, the doctor was by no means old! [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XV "WILL YOU?" MONDAY came, and Euphrasia went through her good-byes with no particular distress, so far as Mrs. Johnston and Letitia were concerned. She had not quite so soon to bid farewell to Mr. Wells; and something in her heart whispered that this would not be so light a matter. But she tried to put aside the thought. Time enough when the moment should arrive. Mrs. Johnston had looked dubious when the scheme of Euphrasia's "escort" was propounded to her. Yet after all it was only a matter of some forty minutes together in the train, and Euphrasia was such an uninteresting girl, and Robert, though not very far over thirty, might have passed for nearer forty. And Mrs. Johnston was extremely desirous to get Euphrasia safely off her premises. And if she raised difficulties, there was no knowing what amount of delays might be the result. So she left matters to arrange themselves. And when a line came from Mr. Mackenzie stating that he would be at the Junction, she wished she had not been so complaisant. No doubt Mr. Mackenzie would have agreed with equal readiness to come the whole distance to Clifton—"which would have been so much more correct!" she complained to Letitia. But it was then too late for any re-shaping of plans.