Then she returned.

She sat down beside Diana's guest, and it might have been seen that she had silenced fear and dismissed hesitation.

"After all," she said, with quiet command, "I think I will ask you, Miss Merton, to explain what you mean ?" * * * * * The February afternoon darkened round the old house.

There was a light powdering of snow on grass and trees.

Yet still there were breathings and bird-notes in the air, and tones of color in the distance, which obscurely prophesied the spring.