She thought with a sudden strange warmth of Uncle Mathew.

What was he doing?
Where was he?
How pleasant it would be were he suddenly to walk into that chilly, dark room.

She would not show him that she was lonely, but she would give him such a welcome as he had never had from her before.

Had he money enough?
Was he feeling perhaps as desolate amongst strangers as she?
The rain tickled the window-panes.

Maggie, with a desolation at her heart that she was too proud to own, sat there and waited.
She looked back afterwards upon that moment as the last shivering pause before she made that amazing plunge that was to give her new life.
The sound of a little forlorn bell suddenly penetrated the rain.