Beatrice spent the afternoon in fussing with her dress, and Ernestine in watching for her mother, who was spending the day with a sick friend, so as she was still absent, when the tea-bell rang, the meal was rather gloomy; for the three older girls were busy with thoughts; Kat's tooth still ached, Kittie had caught cold, and their resentment at not being included in the invitation, being mutual, they devoted themselves exclusively to each other, and Jean dismayed at the unusual silence, ate her bread and milk with a pathetic air of loneliness, quite touching. "Ernestine, won't you sing just a little something," she asked, as they went into the sitting-room, where the fire burned low. "It's _so_ lonesome without mama, when you're all so still. Seems to me everything has gone wrong all day, what's the matter?" "Everybody's in the blues, it's in the air," laughed Ernestine, sitting down to the piano, and skimming the keys. "Sit down chickie, and I'll sing 'Three Fishers.'" Jean curled in a chair, with a pleased smile, and Ernestine began the plaintive song, with the firelight flitting over her face, showing that she sang with more feeling than usual. "For men must work, and women must weep, And the sooner 'tis over, the sooner to sleep." The door-bell rang just there, and made them jump, then Bea went to the door, for though quite dark, it was not seven yet. A man stood just outside, a stranger, and as Bea opened the door with no light, but the fire from the sitting-room, he did not seem to know what to say. "Is Mrs. Dering here,--that is,--is she home?" "No, she is not, but will you come in, perhaps I will do," answered Bea, peering beyond him, and starting, as she caught the outline of other figures on the steps. "I do not think you will, I,--in fact we,--" and there he paused, and looked behind him, and a vague chilling alarm struck Bea, and made her voice tremble as she asked-- "Is it anything so particular, any----," "Bad news," he said, as she hesitated. "Yes Miss,--Dering, I presume, I do bring bad news, your father----;"