"
"What is wrong at Hatton Hall?"
"Only Mrs. John Hatton."
Then John was much troubled. The light went out of his eyes and the
smile faded from his face and he stood up as he answered,
"You have misunderstood something that mother has said."
"Why do you talk of things impossible, John?" Jane asked. "Mrs. Stephen
Hatton speaks too plainly to be misunderstood. Indeed her words enter
the ears like darts."
"Yes, she strips them to the naked truth. If it be a fault, it is one
easy to excuse."
"I do not find it so."
"I am sorry you will not go with me, for I shall have to give a good
deal of this evening to Greenwood."
"I expected that."
"Go with me this afternoon, _do_, my dear! We can ride on to Harlow
also."
"I spent all yesterday with my mother."
"Then, good-bye! I will be home in an hour."
John found it very pleasant to ride through the village and up Hatton
Hill again. He thought the very trees bent their branches to greet him
and that the linnets and thrushes sang together about his return.
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