He felt glad to find her alone in the room; he could not hide his feelings from her, but others need not know of his weakness.

“How did she keep up, Hugh?  Is she all right?”

“Elsie, you mean?  Oh, yes.  I think she is all right.  She did not get a chance to fret after she left the house.”

“But what detained you?  I suppose you stayed to see them off, but the train must have gone hours ago.”

“Yes, I know it, Mrs. Gurney; but I—­I didn’t stay to see them off—­I couldn’t,” he added, seeing her look of surprise.  “I’m a fool, I suppose, but I couldn’t stand there and see her go away without giving me one kind word, so I drove off down the road until I could hide my folly from others’ eyes.  I have driven Bob pretty hard, I’m afraid, but I have rubbed him down well, and he will be the first to recover from this day’s work.”

He spoke bitterly, but openly, as any loved son might speak to a tender, sympathizing mother, and he had found her all that during the long years he had lived with them; and though her own son had gained, as he thought, the one thing he longed for, he knew she would feel for his disappointment.

“It is Dexie you mean.  You do not like her to be going away with Lancy.  Is that it, Hugh?”

“Yes, but that is not all.  She has treated me so scornfully, while Lancy—.”  He broke off abruptly, with a gesture that finished the sentence for him.

“But, Hugh, think a minute!  Lancy’s tastes are similar to her own.  How can she help showing the preference, when their very music seems to draw them together?  I would not have thought, Hugh, that you would be so willing to give up Gussie as you seem to be.  You are not trifling with both girls, I hope, Hugh?”

“No, indeed!  You do not understand, and I cannot explain; but Gussie is not what I thought her at first, and Dexie—­well, she is so much more.  It does not make it easier to bear to know that I have placed a barrier between us with my own hands.  Oh, my temper! my hateful temper! it has done me more harm during the last twenty-four hours than during all my life long,” and he laid his arms across the table and bent his head upon them.

“Perhaps it is not so, after all; the last burst of temper always looks the worst.  Don’t you think so, my boy?  Forget it for a few moments, and tell me about Elsie.  Has she gone off in good spirits?”

“Yes, I believe so, but to tell the truth I had no thought for anyone but Dexie.  Elsie will not get a chance to fret, I feel sure, but I wish Dexie felt half as bad about leaving home as she does.  It would be a comfort to think about.”