But a change had come over Arthur. That was quite evident to Molly at least. He often looked careworn, anxious, and perplexed, but to all her questions as to what was the matter she always received the same answer: "Nothing that I know of, Pussy. When I know anything worth telling, you shall know it."
This, so far as Arthur was concerned, was only half the truth, for in point of fact he was very uncomfortable at his work, now that Mr. Brading's manner towards him had totally changed. Jack was never allowed to come in and have five minutes' chat with him, as he used to do at first, and yet no fault was found with him. There was nothing that he could definitely lay hold of and say, "Why am I treated thus?"
Everybody treated him with politeness, and yet he fancied they looked at him suspiciously. Mr. Brading was icy in his demeanour towards him. Instead of meeting him with a pleasant smile of greeting when he came in, there was only the coldest and most distant recognition of his presence.
One day when Arthur was out he saw Jack Brading coming towards him, and noticed that the next minute, when he had recognized him, he darted down a side street, and Arthur felt sure that it was on purpose to avoid him.
This was harder to bear than anything he had yet endured, and that evening he went home with a severe headache. He was not much better in the morning, but he insisted upon getting up and going to his work as usual, although both his sisters tried to persuade him to stay in bed for an hour longer at least.
"You forget it is my duty to see to the letters," said Arthur, as he picked at his breakfast, but failed to eat half of it.
"I am sure there is something wrong down at that shop," said Molly, after he had gone.
But Annie gave but a divided attention to what her sister said. She was thinking of a rumour that had reached her ears the day before—but which had been told her as a great secret—that the railway, in which so many hopes had centred in years gone by, was coming at last, and before Arthur had got half-way to the London Road, she had told Molly.
The girl shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "I shall believe it when the station is built, but not before," she said. "Don't tell Mamma about it, or she will never be satisfied with her new dressing-gown. She is pleased enough with it, and with the idea of saving money by turning old dresses into new ones, but only mention that railway and see what will happen! More than half the dresses she has got put away were bought on the news coming that we were going to sell some of the land for the railway. No! I shall never believe it any more," concluded Molly.
This so far impressed Annie that she agreed to keep the good news to herself, at least for the present, and so Mrs. Murray knew nothing of the hopes and fears that alternately made Annie hot and cold as she thought of what was hanging in the balance for them, if only the report should prove to be true.