Her eyes were downcast; and she was quite close to him before she realized his presence. When she did look up he saw that she was crying, openly, sobbingly, as a child cries, the tears running in little channels over her cheeks and dropping unheeded where they would. Even when she saw that she was not alone, Toni could not check those treacherous tears; and something told Herrick that she was craving for sympathy, that here was no sophisticated woman of the world, to whom the encounter would spell annoyance, but a forlorn and solitary child crying out its heart over some real or fancied tribulation, to whom a kindly word, a friendly greeting would bring only comfort. He jumped off the stile and approached her, hat in hand. "Mrs. Rose? You're in trouble over something? Will you tell me what's wrong--perhaps I can help you somehow?" To his relief he saw that his impression had been correct. She turned to him desperately, like a child seeking consolation. "Mr. Herrick"--she sobbed out the words--"I'm so miserable--I don't know what to do!" "Come, that's bad!" He spoke kindly. "Well, suppose you rest here a moment and dry your eyes?" She fumbled blindly in the front of her gown and then gave up the search with a childish wail. "I've not got a handkerchief--I've lost it somewhere!" "Never mind, I have one." He drew out a large silk square as yet unfolded, and pressed it into her hand. "There, use that--and then we'll have a talk." She dried her eyes obediently, though fresh tears threatened to make her obedience futile; and then, still clinging to his handkerchief, she leaned against the stile and tried to regain her self-control. "Well?" His tone, with its gentle sympathy, was balm to poor Toni's sore heart. "Come, little lady, what's the trouble? Let's see if we can't find a way out of it together." She turned her eyes on him as he spoke, and he was almost startled at what he read there; for surely there was a hint of almost womanly suffering in their usually childish depths; and he knew intuitively that this was not the thoughtless, light-hearted girl he had previously known as Toni Rose. "Mr. Herrick"--she spoke in a low voice, which in spite of all her efforts shook a little--"just now at the Vicarage Bazaar I heard Lady Martin and Mrs. Madgwick talking about me; and they said such terrible things that I think my heart will break!" "Oh, come, Mrs. Rose!" His tone had, as he intended, a bracing effect. "Hearts don't break so easily as that! Whatever those two chatterers may have said, you must not let it affect you so seriously."