A sudden flash of hope came into her mind, and then fear.

What did it mean?
Was he going because he dared not ask her, or would his mother tell him that he would surely succeed?
Oh, her promise! Her breath came quick, and Mr.Forsythe saw it, "Yes," he said, stammering with embarrassment, "I--I fear I shall have to go--ah--important business." Just then both these unhappy young people caught sight of Helen coming serenely across the lawn.
"There's my cousin," said Lois; "let us go and meet her." "Oh, yes, do!" Dick answered fervently; and presently greeted Helen with a warmth which made her give Lois a quick, questioning look from under her straight brows, and sent her thoughts with a flash of sympathy to Gifford Woodhouse.
When the young man had gone, Helen said to her cousin, "Lois, dear-- ?" But Lois only threw herself into her arms with such floods of tears Helen could do nothing but try to calm her.
Lois was not the only one who heard of Dick's plan of leaving Ashurst with mingled joy and dread.

Gifford knew that Mr.Forsythe was going away, and seeing the distress in Lois's face, in these sad days, he put it down to grief at his departure.

It was easier to give himself this pain than to reflect that Lois was trembling with anxiety about Mr.
Denner, and was still full of alarm for Mrs.Forsythe.
"If that puppy neglects her," he thought, "if she cares for him, and if he grieves her, I vow I'll have a word to say to him! Now why should she cry, if it isn't because he's going away ?" Though he was glad Ashurst would see the last of this objectionable young man, Lois's grief turned his gladness into pain, and there was no hope for himself in his relief at Dick's departure.

Miss Deborah, with the best intentions in the world, had made that impossible.
The day after Dr.Howe had told Mr.Denner that he must die, Gifford had come home for a few minutes.