Stephen had a very tender side to her nature, and she loved very truly the dear old lady who had taken her mother's place and had shown her all a mother's love.

Now, in her loneliness and woe and fear, she clung to her in spirit.

She would have liked to have clung to her physically; to have laid her head on her bosom, and have cried her heart out.

The time for tears had not come.
Hourly she felt more and more the weight that a shameful secret is to carry.

She knew, however, that she could set her aunt's mind at rest on the present subject; so she said: 'I think you are right, Auntie dear.