But there he was in her aunt’s drawing-room, and she had nothing to do but to ask him to sit down.

“This is my aunt, Lady Ball,” said Margaret.

“I hope I have the honour of seeing her ladyship quite well,” said Mr Rubb, bowing low before he ventured to seat himself.

Lady Ball would not condescend to say a word, but stared at him in a manner that would have driven him out of the room had he understood the nature of such looks on ladies’ faces.

“I hope my sister-in-law and the children are well,” said Margaret, with a violent attempt to make conversation.

“Pretty much as you left them, Miss Mackenzie; she takes on a good deal; but that’s only human nature; eh, my lady?”

But her ladyship still would not condescend to speak a word.

Margaret did not know what further to say. All subjects on which it might have been possible for her to speak to Mr Rubb were stopped from her in the presence of her aunt. Mr Rubb knew of that great calamity of which, as yet, Lady Ball knew nothing,—of that great calamity to the niece, but great blessing, as it would be thought by the aunt. And she was in much fear lest Mr Rubb should say something which might tend to divulge the secret.

“Did you come by the train?” she said, at last, reduced in her agony to utter the first unmeaning question of which she could think.

“Yes, Miss Mackenzie, I came by the train, and I am going back by the 5.45, if I can just be allowed to say a few words to you first.”

“Does the gentleman mean in private?” asked Lady Ball.

“If you please, my lady,” said Mr Rubb, who was beginning to think that he did not like Lady Ball.

“If Miss Mackenzie wishes it, of course she can do so.”

“It may be about my brother’s affairs,” said Margaret, getting up.

“It is nothing to me, my dear, whether they are your brother’s or your own,” said Lady Ball; “you had better not interrupt your uncle in the study; but I daresay you’ll find the dining-room disengaged.”

So Miss Mackenzie led the way into the dining-room, and Mr Rubb followed. There they found some of the girls, who stared very hard at Mr Rubb, as they left the room at their cousin’s request. As soon as they were left alone Mr Rubb began his work manfully.

“Margaret,” said he, “I hope you will let me call you so now that you are in trouble?”

To this she made no answer.

“But perhaps your trouble is over? Perhaps you have found out that it isn’t as you told us the other day?”

“No, Mr Rubb; I have found nothing of that kind; I believe it is as I told you.”

“Then I’ll tell you what I propose. You haven’t given up the fight, have you? You have not done anything?”

“I have done nothing as yet.”