He had not liked the look in her eyes when she went out. Suppose she should make way with herself? Suppose she should jump into a hole in the ice, or throw herself in front of a locomotive, or do any other of the foolish things that desperate and maddened people were in the habit of doing? What would then be his position? Not an enviable one, by any means. He was partly--not wholly, for he had some shreds of vanity left--aware of his neighbours' opinion respecting himself. There was an ugly word they might connect with his name--and he glowered over the fire, and felt sufficiently uncomfortable until a strange and marvellous thing happened.