She felt she might be sorry for him presently, but not now.
The suspense was over.

The sense of relief was too overwhelming to admit of any other feeling at first.

She dropped on her knees beside the writing-table, and locked her hands together.
"_He told_," she whispered to herself.

"Thank God! Thank God!" Two happy tears dropped onto Mr.Alwynn's old leather blotting-book, that worn cradle of many sermons.
Was this the same world?
Was this the same sun which was shining in upon her?
What new songs were the birds practising outside?
A strange wonderful joy seemed to pervade the very air she breathed, to flood her inmost soul.

She had faced her troubles fairly well, but at this new great happiness she did not dare to look; and with a sudden involuntary gesture she hid her face in her hands.
It would be rash to speculate too deeply on the nature of Dare's reflections as he hurried back to Atherstone; but perhaps, under the very real pang of parting with Ruth, he was sustained by a sense of the magnanimity of what, had he put it into words, he would have called his attitude, and possibly also by a lurking conviction, which had assisted his determination to resign her that life at Vandon, after the episode of the American wife's arrival, would be a social impossibility, especially to one anxious and suited to shine in society.