deal worse!" He added feelingly,"It is a very sad
time that we are _all_ living through."

He held out his hand and grasped the old woman's
hard, work-worn fingers very warmly in his. Dr.
Haworth, as the good people of Witanbury were fond
of reminding one another -- generally in a commendatory,
though sometimes in a complaining, tone -- was
a real gentleman.

There followed hours of that merciful rush and
bustle which at such moments go a long way to deaden
suspense and pain. General and Lady Blake were
arriving this evening, and the spare room of the
Trellis House had to be got ready for them, and
Rose's room -- a lengthier matter this -- transformed
into a dressing-room.

But at last everything was ready, and then Rose
went off, alone, to the station, to meet the London
express.

The train was very late, and as she paced up and
down the long platform she began wondering, with a
kind of weary, confused wonder, whether there had
been an accident, for now everything startling and
dreadful seemed within the bounds of possibility.
Yesterday with what eagerness would she have bought
two or three evening papers -- but now the thought of
doing so did not even occur to her.

Yesterday -- nay, today, up to three hours ago -- she
had been so happy, lacking even that latent anxiety
which had been with her for so long, for she had
supposed Jervis to be out of the trenches, resting.
In fact, for the first time she had not been thinking

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v?