"Oh, Cousin Arthur, if only we had known!"

"I dared not let it be known. Sophia and I had been in love for some time... . Then, she became pregnant. I had to do something. There came that night when your grandfather died. You had quarrelled with him and everyone heard. He was in an excitable mood. I thought that now he had lost all hope of getting you to fall in with his wishes, he wouldn't want to lose us all, and while he was in this mood was the time to tell him what I had done. So I went to his bedroom. I had confessed that Sophia and I must marry now. I shall never forget his face. He was in his nightcap and his fingers trembled as he grasped the sheet. He stared at me unbelievingly and then got out of bed. I think he was going to strike me. He came towards me and I put out my hands to ward him off. I don't know whether I pushed him or not. It all happened so quickly. He fell backwards and struck his head. I was panic-stricken, for I realized that he was dead. I didn't kill him. He fell. I saw that there would be a great deal of trouble. Everything would come out... . I had to think of Sophia. ... I had to act quickly... ."

"So," I said, "you set fire to the place."

He nodded.

"I should never have allowed you to suffer for it, Philippa," he said quickly. "If it had gone further ... I should have had to tell the truth. But there was Sophia and the child she was carrying— You understand. If we could keep it quiet... if it could all blow over ..."

"Even though suspicion rested on me."

"They never brought a charge. It was accidental death. It was accidental death and, Philippa, you were young ... you went away. I felt no guilt—except where you were concerned."

My thoughts slipped back to those strange days. I remembered how kind, how unexpectedly sympathetic he had been to me. I could hear the shouts of the children on the lawn, and I gripped his hand.

I was suddenly very happy. I looked up and saw a blackbird flying high.

I said:

" 'The lark's on the wing;

 The snail's on the thorn:

 God's in his Heaven-

All's right with the world.'"