Within a few days after this the autumn term came to an end, and in the second week of December John returned to Worth Maltravers for the Christmas vacation.

His advent was always a very great pleasure to me, and on this occasion I had looked forward to his company with anticipation keener than usual, as I had been disappointed of the visit of a friend and had spent the last month alone.

After the joy of our first meeting had somewhat sobered, it was not long before I remarked a change in his manner, which puzzled me.

It was not that he was less kind to me, for I think he was even more tenderly forbearing and gentle than I had ever known him, but I had an uneasy feeling that some shadow had crept in between us.

It was the small cloud rising in the distance that afterwards darkened his horizon and mine.