“I’m not myself in a sense, and yet in another sense I’m quite myself, more myself than you’ve ever seen me be.”
The great tide of life flows on steadily, ruthlessly, whatever be the tragedies or comedies being enacted below the swift-moving waters. Dr. Maclean had an important consultation early that afternoon with a great London specialist. And though both his wife and his niece were aware that he could not be in to lunch, yet both of them shrank from learning the news as to whether Harry Garlett was a free man or had been committed for trial from any one but him.
After the clock had struck two, Jean constantly took the little gold watch, which she wore on an old-fashioned gold chain round her neck, out of her belt, and Mrs. Maclean felt that they had both come near the breaking point.
“Let’s put on our things and walk to meet your uncle,” she said at last. “You won’t mind our seeing people on the road who may stop and speak to us?”
“I don’t mind anything,” she answered listlessly, and soon they were walking quickly in the direction from where they knew Dr. Maclean was to come. As they hurried through the biting January wind a little colour came into Jean’s face and she began to look more herself.
“It’s foolish to feel as I do to-day,” she said at last. “I’m not really in suspense, for of course I know quite well that Harry has been committed for trial. Nothing excepting a miracle happening—I mean the guilty person coming forward—could have prevented it. And yet?—and yet, Aunt Jenny, I hope against hope!”
“So do I,” said Mrs. Maclean in a low voice.
At last they saw the familiar little car rolling along very much more quickly than it was apt to do, and as the doctor drove up to them a glance at his face was enough.
“Of course he’s committed for trial. Nothing new came out—one way or the other.”
Then in a voice which he tried to make colourless, he went on: “I’ve got a letter for you from Harry, child. I was to give it to you only if he was committed for trial. Would you like us two to drive on, leaving you to read it and walk home alone?”