She watched again that night; and on the next day, in the afternoon, she was told that a gentleman wished to see her in the drawing-room. Her thoughts at once pointed to Mr Maguire, and she went downstairs prepared to be very angry with that gentleman. But on entering the room she found her cousin, John Ball. She was, in truth, glad to see him; for, after all, she thought that she liked him the best of all the men or women that she knew. He was always in trouble, but then she fancied that with him she at any rate knew the worst. There was nothing concealed with him,—nothing to be afraid of. She hoped that they might continue to know each other intimately as cousins. Under existing circumstances they could not, of course, be anything more to each other than that.

“This is very kind of you, John,” she said, taking his hand. “How did you know I was here?”

“Mr Slow told me. I was with Mr Slow about business of yours. I’m afraid from what I hear that you find your brother very ill.”

“Very ill, indeed, John,—ill to death.”

She then asked after her uncle and aunt, and the children, at the Cedars.

They were much as usual, he said; and he added that his mother would be very glad to see her at the Cedars; only he supposed there was no hope of that.

“Not just at present, John. You see I am wholly occupied here.”

“And will he really die, do you think?”

“The doctors say so.”

“And his wife and children—will they be provided for?”

Margaret simply shook her head, and John Ball, as he watched her, felt assured that his uncle Jonathan’s money would never come in his way, or in the way of his children. But he was a man used to disappointment, and he bore this with mild sufferance.

Then he explained to her the business about which he had specially come to her. She had entrusted him with certain arrangements as to a portion of her property, and he came to tell her that a certain railway company wanted some houses which belonged to her, and that by Act of Parliament she was obliged to sell them.

“But the Act of Parliament will make the railway company pay for them, won’t it, John?”

Then he went on to explain to her that she was in luck’s way, “as usual,” said the poor fellow, thinking of his own misfortunes, and that she would greatly increase her income by the sale. Indeed, it seemed to her that she would regain pretty nearly all she had lost by the loan to Rubb and Mackenzie. “How very singular,” thought she to herself. Under these circumstances, it might, after all, be possible that she should marry Mr Maguire, if she wished it.

When Mr Ball had told his business he did not stay much longer. He said no word of his own hopes, if hopes they could be called any longer. As he left her, he just referred to what had passed between them. “This is no time, Margaret,” said he, “to ask you whether you have changed your mind?”