She was startled at the foot of the stairs to encounter Maggie. Maggie was coming slowly upwards as Flower descended, and the two girls paused to look at one another. The lamps in the passages were turned low, and Maggie held a candle above her head; its light fell full on Flower. "You mustn't go to Miss Polly on no account, Miss Flower," said Maggie, adopting the somewhat peremptory manner she had already used to Flower in the hermit's hut. "Miss Polly is not to be frightened or put out in any way, leastways not to-night." "You mean that you think I would tell her about Dr. Maybright?" "Perhaps you would, Miss; you're none too sensible." Flower was too crushed even to reply to this uncomplimentary speech. After a pause, she said: "I'm not going to Polly. I'm going away. Maggie, is it true that the--that Dr. Maybright is very ill?" "Yes, Miss, the Doctor's despert bad." Maggie's face worked; her candle shook; she put up her other hand to wipe away the fast-flowing tears. "Oh, don't cry!" said Flower, stamping her foot impatiently. "Tears do no good, and it wasn't you who did it." "No, Miss, no, Miss; that's a bit of a comfort. I wouldn't be you, Miss Flower, for all the wide world. Well, I must go now; I'm a-sleeping in Miss Polly's room to-night, Miss." "Why, is Polly ill, too?" "Only her foot's bad. I mustn't stay, really, Miss Flower." "Look here," said Flower, struck by a sudden thought, "before you go tell me something. Your mother lives in the village, does she not?" "Why, yes, Miss, just in the main street, down round by the corner. There's the baker's shop and the butcher's, and you turn round a sharp corner, and mother's cottage is by your side." "I've a fancy to go and see her. Good-night." "But not at this hour, surely, Miss?" "Why not? I was out later last night." "That's true. Well, I must go to Miss Polly now. Don't you make any noise when you're coming in, Miss! Oh, my word!" continued Maggie to herself, "what can Miss Flower want with mother? Well, she is a contrairy young lady mischievous, and all that, and hasn't she wrought a sight of harm in this yer house! But, for all that, mother'll be mighty took up with her, for she's all for romance, mother is, and Miss Flower's very uncommon. Well, it ain't nought to do with me, and I'll take care to tell no tales to Miss Polly, poor dear." The night was still and calm; the stars shone peacefully; the wind, which had come in gusts earlier in the evening, had died down. It took Flower a very few minutes to reach the village, and she wasn't long in discovering Mrs. Ricketts' humble abode. That good woman had long retired to rest, but Flower's peremptory summons on the door soon caused a night-capped head to protrude out of a window, a burst of astonishment to issue from a wonder-struck pair of lips, and a moment later the young lady was standing by Mrs. Ricketts' fireside.