Vera

so grimly to finish off the crushing of a mourner who is alone. It is true the doctor was kind and ready to help, but he was a complete stranger; she had never seen him till he was fetched that drea

ever. She felt that since the beginning of time she and he had been advancing hand in hand towards just thi

sto. Fresh from the horrors of those other funeral arrangements, clouded as they had been by the silences of friends and the averted looks of neighbours-all owing to the idiotic jurors and their hesitations, and the vindictiveness of that woman because, he concluded, he had refused to raise her wages the previous month-what he was arranging now

d dragged about that very cliff killing time such a little while before; he could see she didn't like it. She knew he had to go, she was grateful and immensely expressive of her gratitude-Wemy

triumphantly advanced the funeral arrangements another stage, a faint colour came into her face and she had the relieved eyes of a child who has been left al

or her father probably getting restive as night drew on, and as likely as not bolting to the village; so he fetched his things from the primitive hotel down in the cove about seven o'clock and announc

aged, holding the young lady's hand under the mulberry tree, were surprised at having to make up a bed in the drawing-room when there were two spare-rooms with beds already in them upstairs, but did so obediently, vaguely imagining it had something to do with watchfulness and French windows; and Lucy, when he told her he was going to stay the night, was s

mured, 'how g

t the certificate, and to the vicar about the burial, had telegraphed to her only existing relative, an aunt, had sent the obituary notice to The Times, and had

d be like when dusk came and he went away for the last time and she would be alone, all alone in the silent house, and upstairs that strange, wonderful, absorbed thing that used to be he

emyss, her red eyes filling. 'Wha

ed at the nature of the bond between them, at its closeness, at the way it seemed almost mirac

his life and of the regular healthy calm with which it had proceeded till a week ago. Why this calm should have been interrupted, and so cruelly, he couldn't imagine. It wasn't as

d the occasion; besides which it vibrated with feeling, it was lovely with seriousness, with simple conviction. 'Always, always I

judging from what-well, what people had said to him, it hadn't been much of a succes

understand him, to misunderstand any one

tand; he was a very natural, simple sort of person, who had only a

Vera?' a

wi

rs. 'Don't talk of that to-night please don't let yourself think of

g there, being with him, letting him help her, and her not hav

ike hers, deepened by feeling, 'two scared, unhappy

, darkness and coolness gathering round them, and the grass smelling sweetly after the hot day, and the little waves, such a long w

ing to her and scrutinising the delicate f

two,' sa

twelve,' he said, 'except for

id Lucy. 'My fathe

nd. 'Don't cry again. Don't cry any more to-nig

the light of the hall he saw that she had,

e had lit her candle for her,

s solemnly, holding her ha

e has already, in sending me y

that he had known her ever since he could remember-he saw her smile,

aid, staring at her,

t?' ask

' said

ound of it in the silent, b

ort, hanging her head appalle

d not think of anything,' Wemyss o

protected, like some desolate baby that had c