The lover had been taken from her just as her father and her home had

been. There was no help for it, there was no appeal from the decrees of

Fate. Fate had decreed that she should love Stafford and lose him; and

she could only go on living her grey and dreary life, made all the

greyer and drearier by her short spell of joy and happiness. Sorrow's

crown of sorrow is still the remembrance of happier things; and she

would have to wear that crown in place of the crown of his love, wear

it through all her days; for, young as she was, she knew that she had

given her heart once and for all, that though she might never see

Stafford again, she would love him to the end.

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A mist hung over the dale on this, the day of her departure from the

Hall, and all the hills over which she had so loved to ride and walk

were shrouded as if in tears.

She stood and looked at them from the hall window with vacant eyes, as

if she did not yet realise that she was leaving them, perhaps forever;

but she had not long for gazing, for Mr. Heron and she were going by an

early train, and the moment for farewell came swiftly upon her.

With Donald and Bess close at her heels, as if they were aware of their

coming loss, she went round to say good-bye. She crossed the lawn and

went to the spot under the tree where she had met Stafford that

never-to-be-forgotten night, and from thence walked to the corner of

the terrace where they had stood and watched her father coming, in his

sleep, from the ruined chapel. Then she went to the stable to say

good-bye to Rupert, who whinnied as he heard her approaching footstep,

and thrust his soft, velvety nose into her neck. She had to fight hard

against the tears at this point, and she hid her face against that of

the big horse, with her arms thrown round his neck, as she murmured her

last good-bye.

But the tears would not be kept back when it came to saying farewell to

the two faithful souls, Jessie and Jason, with whom she had grown up

from a girl all legs and wings, and whom she had learnt to regard

rather as devoted friends than servants. Jason broke down completely

and hurried away, his old and feeble frame shaking like an autumn leaf;

and Jessie, her arms thrown round her young mistress, and with sobs and

ejaculations, implored her to take her faithful Jessie with her.




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