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ed； all her future life。 She had not realised that in London。 Grace had seemed harmless there and unimportant。 Already here in Skeaton she seemed to stand for a whole scheme of life。
Maggie had moved and altered a good many of the things in the house。 She had discovered a small attic； and into this she had piled pell… mell a number of photographs； cheap reproductions； cushions； worsted mats； and china ornaments。 She had done it gaily and with a sense of clearing the air。
Now as Grace's hour approached she was not so sure。
〃Well； I'm not afraid；〃 she reassured herself with her favourite defiance。 〃She can't eat me。 And it's my house。〃
Paul had not noticed the alterations。 He was always blind to his surroundings unless they were what he called 〃queer。〃
There was the rattle of the cab…wheels on the drive and a moment later Grace was in the hall。
〃Dear PaulMaggie； dear 。 。 。〃
She stood there； a very solid and assured figure。 She was square and thick and reminded Maggie to…day of Mrs。 Noah； her clothes stood cut out around her as though they had been cut in wood。 She had her large amiable smile； and the kiss that she gave Maggie was a wet； soft； and very friendly one。
〃Now I think I'll have tea at once without taking my hat off。 In Paul's study？ That's nice 。 。 。 Maggie； dear； how are you？ Such a journey！ But astonishing！ Just fancy！ I got into Charing Cross and then！ Why！ Here's the study！ Fancy！ 。 。 。 Maggie； dear； how are you？ Well？ That's right。 Why； there's tea！ That's right。 Everything just as it was。 Fancy！ 。 。 。〃 She took off her gloves； smiled； seated herself more comfortably； then began to look about the room。 Suddenly there came： 〃Why； Paul； where's the Emmanuel football group？〃
There was a moment's silence。 Maggie felt her heart give a little bump； as it seemed to her； right against the roof of her mouth。 Paul （so like him） had not noticed that the football group had vanished。 He stared at the blank place on the wall where it had once been。
〃Why； Grace 。 。 。 I don't know。 I never noticed it wasn't there。〃
〃I took it down；〃 said Maggie。 〃I thought there were too many photographs。 It's in the attic。〃
〃In the attic？ 。 。 。 Fancy！ You put it away； did you； Maggie？ Well； fancy！ Shan't I make the tea； Maggie； dear？ That tea…pot； it's an old friend of mine。 I know how to manage it。〃
They changed seats。 Grace was as amiable as ever； but now her eyes flashed about from place to place all around the room。
〃Why； this is a new kind of jam。 How nice！ As I was saying； I got into Charing Cross and there wasn't a porter。 Just fancy！ At least there was a porter； an old man； but when I beckoned to him he wouldn't move。 Well； I was angry。 I can tell you； Paul； I wasn't going to stand that； so I…what nice jam； dear。 I never knew Mitchell's had jam like this！〃
〃I didn't get it at Mitchell's；〃 said Maggie。 〃I've changed the grocer。 Mitchell hasn't got anything； and his prices are just about double Brownjohn's 。 。 。〃
〃Brownjohn！〃 Grace stared； her bread and jam suspended。 〃Brownjohn！ But； Maggie dear； he's a dissenter。〃
〃Oh。 Maggie！〃 said Paul。 〃You should have told me！〃
〃Why！〃 said Maggie； bewildered。 〃Father never minded about dissenters。 Our butcher in St。 Dreot's was an atheist and〃
〃Well； well；〃 said Grace； her eyes still flashing about like goldfish in a pool。 〃You didn't know； dear。 Of course you didn't。 I'm sure we can put it right with Mitchell； although he's a sensitive man。 I'll go and see him in the morning。 I am glad I'm back。 Well； I was telling you 。 。 。 Where was I？ 。 。 。 about the porter〃
Something drove Maggie to say：
〃I'd rather have a good grocer who's a dissenter than a bad one who goes to church〃
〃Maggie；〃 said Paul； 〃you don't know what you're saying。 You don't realise what the effect in the parish would be。〃
〃Of course she doesn't；〃 said Grace consolingly。 〃She'll understand in time。 As I was saying； I was so angry that I caught the old man by the arm and I said to him； 'If you think you're paid to lean up against a wall and not do your duty you're mightily mistaken； and if you aren't careful I'll report youthat's what I'll do；' and he saidwhat were his exact words？ I'll remember in a minute。 I know he was very insulting； and the taxi…cabmanwhy； Paul； where's mother's picture？〃
Grace's eyes were directed to a large space high above the mantelpiece。 Maggie remembered that there had been a big faded oil… painting of an old lady in a shawl and spectacles； a hideous affair she had thought it。 That was now reposing in the attic。 Why had she not known that it was a picture of Paul's mother？ She would never have touched it had she known。 Why had Paul said nothing？ He had not even noticed that it was gone。
Paul stared； amazed and certainlyyes； beyond questionfrightened。
〃Graceupon my wordI've been so busy since my return〃
〃Is that also in the attic？〃 asked Grace。
〃Yes； it is；〃 said Maggie。 〃I'm so sorry。 I never knew it was your mother。 It wasn't a very good painting I thought； so I took it down。 If I had known； of course； I never would have touched it。 Oh Grace； I AM so sorry。〃
〃It's been there；〃 said Grace； 〃for nearly twenty years。 What I mean to say is that it's always been there。 Poor mother。 Are there many things in the attic； Maggie？〃
At that moment there was a feeble scratching on the door。 Paul； evidently glad of anything that would relieve the situation； opened the door。
〃Why； it's Mitch！〃 cried Grace； forgetting for the moment her mother。 〃Fancy！ It's Mitch！ Mitch； dear！ Was she glad to see her old friend back again？ Was she？ Darling！ Fancy seeing her old friend again？ Was she wanting her back？〃
Mitch stood shivering in the doorway； then； with her halting step； the skin of her back wrinkled with anxiety； she crossed the room。 For a moment she hesitated； then with shamefaced terror； slunk to Maggie； pressed up against her； and sat there huddled； staring at Grace with yellow unfriendly eyes。
CHAPTER IV
GRACE
Not in a day and not in a night did Maggie find a key to that strange confusion of fears； superstitions； and self…satisfactions that was known to the world as Grace Trenchard。 Perhaps she never found it； and through all the struggle and conflict in which she was now to be involved she was fighting； desperately； in the dark。 Fight she did； and it was this same conflict； bitter and tragic enough at the time； that transformed her into the woman that she became 。 。 。 and through all that conflict it may be truly said of her that she never knew a moment's bitternessanger； dismay； loneliness； even despair…bitterness never。
It was not strange that Maggie did not understand Grace； Grace never understood herself nor did she make the slightest attempt to do so。 It would be easy enough to cover the ground at once by saying that she had no imagination； that she never went behind the thing that she saw； and that she found the grasping of external things quite as much as she could manage。 But that is not enough。 Very early indeed； when she had been a stolid…faced little girl with a hot desire for the doll possessed by her neighbour； she had had for nurse a woman who rejoiced in supernatural events。 With ghost stories o