When Mrs. Eastman had gone to the kitchen to prepare dinner , Maggie Hatfield was startled by the appearance of Lawrence at the low open window of the sitting-room . `` Mercy me , how you scared me ! '' she exclaimed nervously . `` Maggie , '' said Lawrence seriously , `` I want to ask you a question . Did Bessy Houghton ever say anything to you about me or did you ever say that she did ? Give me a straight answer . '' The dressmaker peered at him curiously . `` No . Bessy never so much as mentioned your name to me , '' she said , `` and I never heard that she did to anyone else . Why ? '' `` Thank you . That was all I wanted to know , '' said Lawrence , ignoring her question , and disappearing as suddenly as he had come . That evening at moonrise he passed through the kitchen dressed in his Sunday best . His mother met him at the door . `` Where are you going ? '' she asked querulously . Lawrence looked her squarely in the face with accusing eyes , before which her own quailed . `` I 'm going to see Bessy Houghton , Mother , '' he said sternly , `` and to ask her pardon for believing the lie that has kept us apart so long . '' Mrs. Eastman flushed crimson and opened her lips to speak . But something in Lawrence 's grave , white face silenced her .
She turned away without a word , knowing in her secret soul that her youngest-born was lost XXXXX her forever .
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