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This was undeniable, and Maggie said nothing, though her lips opened as if for speech Then she closed thes upon the hearth Then once more Mrs Baxter took up the tale

"When I first heard of the poor girl's death," she said, "it seemed to me so providential It would have been too dreadful if he had married her He ay from home, you know, on Thursday, when it happened; but he was back here on Friday, and has been like--like a madman ever since I have done what I could, but--"

"Was she quite iirl in her slow voice "I never saw her, you know"

Mrs Baxter laid down her eainst her character, of course She was all that was good, I believe But, you know, her horocer--and a Baptist," she added, with a touch of vindictiveness

"What was she like?" asked the girl, still with that meditative air

"My dear, she was like--like a picture on a chocolate-box I can say no more than that She was little and fair-haired, with a very pretty coht her up here to see arden; I felt I could not bear to have her in the house just yet, though, of course, it would have had to have come She spoke very carefully, but there was an unmistakable accent Once she left out an aitch, and then she said the word over again quite right"

Maggie nodded gently, with a certain air of pity, and Mrs Baxter went on encouraged

"She had a little staht very pretty, and she had a restless little way of playing with her fingers as if on a piano Oh, my dear, it would have been too dreadful; and now, my poor boy--"

The old lady's eyes filled with co down to fetch out a little lace-fringed pocket-handkerchief

Maggie leaned back with one easyher hands behind her head; but she still said nothing Mrs Baxter finished the little cere over her needlework, continued the commentary

"Do try to help him, my dear That hy I asked you to come back yesterday I wanted you to be in the house for the funeral You see, Laurie's becoether It's no good ious side of it all; he thinks I know nothing at all about the next world, though I'm sure--"