Afterthelapseofafewdayshefoundhimselfhopingthatshewouldwriteagain。Buthereceivednofurthercommunication；andintheintensityofhissolicitudehesentanothernote，suggestingthatheshouldpayheravisitsomeSunday，thedistancebeingundereighteenmiles。
Heexpectedareplyonthesecondmorningafterdespatchinghismissive；butnonecame。Thethirdmorningarrived；thepostmandidnotstop。ThiswasSaturday，andinafeverishstateofanxietyaboutherhesentoffthreebrieflinesstatingthathewascomingthefollowingday，forhefeltsuresomethinghadhappened。
Hisfirstandnaturalthoughthadbeenthatshewasillfromherimmersion；butitsoonoccurredtohimthatsomebodywouldhavewrittenforherinsuchacase。Conjectureswereputanendtobyhisarrivalatthevillageschool-housenearShastononthebrightmorningofSunday，betweenelevenandtwelveo’clock，whentheparishwasasvacantasadesert，mostoftheinhabitantshavinggatheredinsidethechurch，whencetheirvoicescouldoccasionallybeheardinunison。
Alittlegirlopenedthedoor。`MissBrideheadisup-stairs，’
shesaid。`Andwillyoupleasewalkuptoher？’