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298 been out, and they had had tea in the kitchen with an infinity of tender mirth. With the true history of that day he never been made acquainted, for the effect of its narration on Maud was not such as would encourage Lucia to make further confidences about it. But to-day, when the situation, so infinitesimal in itself, was so strangely repeated, it was not witl mirth that Aunt Cathie announced it. She was evidently agitated and preoccupied.

"But let us have it in the kitchen," he said, "just as Lucia and I did at Littlestone. It will remind me of that day, and I want to be reminded."

They had passed into the drawing-room, and Edgar, still beckoned to by the ghosts of past days, looked round for the things that were so familiar. But the piano, where the "Unfinished" had stood, was no longer there, and bookcases gaped with empty shelves.

"But the piano," he said, "and the books?"

Aunt Cathie drew herself up with a quiet dignity.

"I was cluttered up with things," she said. "It was more convenient to part with some of them. There is no inconvenience in not having a piano, especially when you can't play it. And as for books, what is the use of dusting what you don't read? And now, dear Edgar, the kettle is boiling, and the tray is outside. Might I trouble you to bring it in, while I run down to the kitchen and see if they have sent in the cake I ordered? If not, you must be content with some bread and butter."

It required no unusual perspicacity to put these things together and while Aunt Cathie was downstairs, he went with purpose and looked out of the glass door into the garden. It was even as he suspected: the grass of the lawn was tall and matted and rank; the bed that had been the famous "blaze of colour" was but jungle of neglected herbage. It was clear beyond doubt that Aunt Cathie had had some pecuniary loss, and it was infinitely foolish and brave of her to have kept it to herself, and told neither Lucia nor him. But at that another suspicion came into his mind, which he felt he must have satisfied at once. He knew very well that no word of all this had reached him. But he had to be told that no word of it had reached Lucia.

Aunt Cathie came upstairs again. The cake had not come it was tiresome of the tradespeople.

Edgar shut the door after her and came and sat down beside her on the sofa with its decoration of head-rests.