No wonder Lucia could not come." While her friends thus charitably judged her, Lucia was, in truth, painfully and anxiously occupied by the illness of her mother.

Mr.
Percy, aware of her engagement for the evening, had ridden over early in the afternoon and spent an hour or two lounging beside her, at the piano or on the verandah.

At last, when it grew nearly time for her to start for Mrs.Scott's, he rose to go.
"Come into the garden for a minute," he said.

"It is growing cool now, and the air from the river is so pleasant." She obeyed, and they wandered down the garden together.

But the minute lengthened to twenty before they came back, and parted at the wicket.
Lucia went slowly up the steps, disinclined to go in out of the sunshine, which suited her mood.