They looked at one another, then Catherine said: "Well, Beatrice ?" and, taking her friend's hand, she sat down by her.
"You know what happened this morning, Catherine ?" said Beatrice, looking at her sadly.
"Yes, I know.

I have come about that.

Loftus came home, and he told mother.

I heard him talking to her, and I heard mother crying; I came into the room then, for I cannot bear the sound of my mother's sobs when she is in distress, and she at once looked up when she heard nay step, and she said: "'It is all hopeless, Catherine; Beatrice Meadowsweet will not marry Loftus.' "'Nay, mother,' interrupted Loftus, 'there's a chance for me, she has consented to see me again to-morrow.' "I flew up to mother when Loftus had done speaking, and I knelt by her and looked into her face and said, 'You make my heart beat so hard, I never, never thought of this.' Mother went on moaning to herself.

She did not seem to care about me nor to notice that I was with her.
"'It was my last hope,' she said; 'the only chance to avert the trouble, and it is over.' "She went on saying that until I really thought she was almost light-headed.