'How did you get on with the Doctor?'

'I saw as little of him as I could, and was still more convinced that
he does not know what conversation is. Hem!' Philip gave a deep sigh.
'No; the only thing to be done at St. Mildred's is to walk across the
moors to Stylehurst. It is a strange thing to leave that tumult of
gossip, and novelty, and hardness, and to enter on that quiet autumnal
old world, with the yellow leaves floating silently down, just as they
used to do, and the atmosphere of stillness round the green
churchyard.'

'Gossip!' repeated Laura.' Surely not with Margaret?'

'Literary, scientific gossip is worse than gossip in a primary sense,
without pretension.'

'I am glad you had Stylehurst to go to. How was the old sexton's
wife?'

'Very well; trotting about on her pattens as merrily as ever.'

'Did you go into the garden?'

'Yes; Fanny's ivy has entirely covered the south wall, and the acacia
is so tall and spreading, that I longed to have the pruning of it. Old
Will keeps everything in its former state.'

They talked on of the old home, till the stern bitter look of regret
and censure had faded from his brow, and given way to a softened