“No, no, not just yet,” he replied promptly. “I would rather he were left perfectly quiet for a few hours. We will look in on him later; not that it is necessary, but we shall be in the neighborhood, and may as well turn in for a moment.” He wished them good-afternoon, and was gone.
“And how did you happen to come in just at the right moment?” said Franceline, turning to Father Henwick. “It did not occur to me before how strange it was. Was it some good angel that told you to come to me, I wonder?”
“The very thing! You have hit it to a nicety!” said Mr. Langrove. “It was an angel that did it.”
“Yes,” said Father Henwick, falling into the vicar’s playful vein, “and the odd thing was that he came riding up to my house on a fat Cumberland pony! Now, we all know S. Michael has been seen on a white charger, but this is the first time, to my knowledge, that an angel was ever seen mounted on a Cumberland pony.”
“Dear Mr. Langrove, how good of you!” said Franceline, with moistened eyes, and she pressed his hand.
“Had you not better come out with me now for a short walk?” said the vicar. “I sha’n’t be more than half an hour, and it will do you good. Come and have early tea at the vicarage, and we will walk home with you before Blink comes back. What do you say?”
“Oh! I think I had better not go out, I feel so shaken and tired; and then papa might ask for me, you know. I shall not go near him unless he does, after what Dr. Blink said.”
“Well, perhaps it is as well for you to keep quiet. Good-by, dear. I will look in on you this evening.”
“And so will I, my child,” said Father Henwick, laying his broad hand on her head; and the two gentlemen left the cottage together.
TO BE CONTINUED.