"Where is she going?" asked Mavis absently.
"Cornwall."
"Cornwall? Which part?"
"South, I believe. Why?"
"Curiosity," replied Mavis.
Then Miss Toombs told Mavis the rest of the Melkbridge news. She learned how Mr and Mrs Trivett had given up Pennington Farm and were now living in Melkbridge, where Miss Toombs had heard that they had a hard struggle to get along. Miss Toombs mentioned several other names well known to Mavis; but she did not speak of Charlie Perigal.
It was a long time before Mavis slept that night. She had long and earnestly thanked her Heavenly Father for having sent kindly Miss Toombs to help her in her distress. She then lay awake for quite a long while, wondering why Miss Toombs had been against her going to Melkbridge. Vague, intangible fears hovered about her, which were associated with her lover and his many promises to marry her. He also was at Melkbridge. Mavis tried to persuade herself that Miss Toombs's objection to her going to the same place could have nothing in common with the fact of her lover's presence there.
The next morning, while the two friends were breakfasting, Mavis again spoke of the matter.
"I can't make out why you were so against my going to Melkbridge," she said.
"Have you been worrying about it?" asked Miss Toombs.