Surely there is something I can do!" Her voice broke, she began to tremble, and the tears started to her eyes again.
"Yes, yes; no doubt, no doubt, my child!" said Mr.Wordley, whose own eyes were moist.

"We will think about all that later on.

You must go now and rest; you are tired." He drew her arm within his, and patting her hand tenderly and encouragingly, led her out of the room; and stood in the hall watching her as she slowly went up the great stairs; such a girlish, mournful figure in her plain black dress.
Ida lay awake that night listening to the wind and the rain.

She was familiar enough with the dale storms, but never had their wild music wailed so mournful an accompaniment to her own thoughts.

Compared with her other losses, that of her home, dearly as she loved it, weighed but little; it was but, an added pang to the anguish of her bereavement; and behind that, the principal cause of her grief, loomed the desertion of her lover.