"I could have saved you all this trouble," said Mrs. Grey, "if you had told me what you wanted;" and going to the nearest book-case she took down several books which exactly met Laura's wishes. The result will be seen by and by. Margaret, meanwhile, had begun a new picture in place of the one defaced by the children, and as the three sat together reading, painting, chatting, they formed a trio almost any one would have enjoyed watching. Laura feeling the relief of her children's convalescence, was particularly happy. "How nice it is to be at home," she cried. "I shouldn't mind living a hundred years if I could always have things just as they are now." "Nor I," said Margaret. "Nor I," said Mrs. Grey, smiling; "but things won't go on a hundred years just so, nor should we live a hundred years if they did. It is better to leave our destiny in wiser hands than our own." And then a pleasant silence settled down upon the group, each busy in her own way, and each, in her own way, very happy. CHAPTER XV. The next morning Mrs. Grey settled herself comfortably near the fire, to enjoy one of the luxuries in which she indulged herself--the daily paper. She liked to know what was going on in the world. But as her eye ran leisurely from column to column, it was suddenly arrested, and she seemed turned into stone. "Oh, mamma darling, what is it?" cried Laura, running to her side, and seizing her hands. "Why, you are as cold as ice!" Mrs. Grey tried to speak, but could not; she pointed to a paragraph, however, and Laura read: "It gives us great pain to announce that the President of the ---- bank is under arrest on a very grave charge. His books have been seized, and are to be thoroughly examined. We make this statement reluctantly, trusting that Mr. Grey will come triumphantly forth from this ordeal." "What horrid, shameful stuff and nonsense!" cried Laura, indignantly. "Oh, mamma, you look ten years older than you did." "I have lived a hundred," faltered Mrs. Grey. "Why, mamma! you don't mean that you believe any of these lies?" demanded Laura, amazed. "Oh, I don't know what I believe. I am stunned." "Frank Grey accused of crime? Frank Grey under arrest? I don't believe a word about it!" cried Laura. "He is utterly incapable of anything wrong!" "Don't say that, my child. We are all capable of _every_ thing wrong if left to ourselves. Try to think for me. I am so bewildered. Oh, I have been too proud of that boy. And I have been too cold and unsympathizing towards distracted parents. I needed this blow. When does the next train leave?" "At 10.40. Yes, of course you must go," said Laura, overawed by her mother's anguish. "And Mary must go too, you are in no state to travel alone." Mrs. Grey made no remonstrance; for the first time in her life, she became passive in the hands of others, and let them act for her. "Mamma, you weren't like this when darling Maud died," said Laura.