It was easy to make this brave resolve, with no one to hear it but the quiet cows feeding in the field, but when the evening came, and she stood for the second time at Number 4 Back Row, her heart beat quickly with fear. When she thought of her grandfather's kind face her courage rose a little, but when she thought of what she had to tell him, it fell so low that she was almost inclined to run away. The door opened, but this time Mrs Cooper did not leave her outside. She flung open the door of the sitting-room with her other hand, and said in a loud voice, "Miss Forrest, sir." Anna entered, half afraid as to what she should see, for she had made up her mind that her grandfather was really very ill. To her relief, the Professor and his shabby little room looked unaltered. He was sitting in his arm-chair by the window, tired and worn, as she had often found him before, after one of his long walks, and held out his kind hand to welcome her as usual. "Oh my dear Anna," he said, "you've come to see me. That's right. Come and sit here." There was a chair close to him, and as she took it, Anna noticed a piece of half-finished knitting on the table, which she knew belonged to Delia. "If Delia comes in," she thought to herself, "I _can't_ do it." "Are you better, grandfather?" she managed to ask, in a very subdued voice. "Oh, I'm getting on splendidly!" he answered, "with such a good nurse, and so much care and attention, I shall soon be better than ever I was before." There was no mistaking the expression in his face as he turned it towards her. Not only welcome and kindness, but love, shone from it brightly. In the midst of her confusion Anna wondered how it was that she had never felt so sure of her grandfather's affection before. And now, perhaps, she was to lose it. "You can't think how wonderfully kind every one is," he continued. "I really might almost think myself an important person in Dornton. They send messages and presents, and are ready to do anything to help me. Mr Hurst came in just now to tell me that he has arranged to fill my place as organist for a whole month, so that I may have a rest. They're very nice, good people in Dornton. That kind Mrs Winn offered to come and read to me, and then Delia is like another grand-daughter, you know." Anna's heart was full as he chatted on. Must she tell him? Might she not put it off a little? "And so you went to a picnic yesterday?" he went on, as she sat silently by him. "Was it very pleasant? Let me see, did the sun shine? You must tell me all about it. I am to be an idle man now, you know, and shall want every one to amuse me with gossip." "Grandfather," cried Anna, with a sudden burst of courage, "I want to tell you--I've done something very wrong." The Professor turned his gentle glance upon her. "We all have to say that, my dear," he answered, "very often. But I'm sure you're sorry for it, whatever it is."