"To give her the house!" Mrs. Gereth brought up the words from the depth of the unspeakable. The effort was like the moan of an autumn wind; it was in the power of such an image to make her turn pale. "Of course I mean their marriage!" Fleda hesitated again. "I haven't the least idea."!

"Are you sure?" Fleda was silent a little. "All that didn't answer her question."

Fleda felt the full need of giving a reason for her departure; but at first she only said with cheerful frankness: "I departed." "Have I kept you off to-day?" Fleda sadly shook her head, raising her arms a little and dropping them. "Please let me out, Mr. Gereth," she said; on which he opened the door with an hesitation so very brief that in thinking of these things afterwards—for she was to think of them forever—she wondered in what tone she could have spoken. They went into the hall, where she encountered the parlor-maid, of whom she inquired whether Mrs. Gereth had come in.