t would be for
me if I got notice to quit!" The gardener's mother had probably
presented the same argument to him, and the good people who had eyed us
askance on Sunday morning were probably reflecting to themselves, "They
_look_ all right, but you never know! There was evidently something
_very_ unpleasant about that lease. Poor General Underwood, too. Well,
we won't be in a hurry to call. We will just wait and see!"

I felt horribly depressed, and somehow Charmion's utter indifference
made me feel worse. I do love to be liked; it would poison me to live
in an atmosphere of prejudice and suspicion, but she doesn't appear to
care. I have a curious conviction that to be socially ostracised would
be just what she would prefer. Books, the garden, my companionship--
these would supply her need. New claims would be rather a bore.

I am not made like that. I need more. I feel horribly depressed.

Charmion saw it, and spoke out before we went to bed.

"You are worrying, Evelyn. That disagreeable autocrat has succeeded in
prejudicing our neighbours against us, and it hurts you. Well, nothing
is irrevocable. Say the word, and we will leave the house to-morrow,
and put up a bill--to let!"

I jumped nearly out of my skin, with horror and amazement.

"Never! Not for the world. My pride wouldn't let me even if I wanted
to do it, and I don't--I don't! I love the house and the life with you
even more than I expected, it's only that I'm sorry about. I _do_ like
to live at peace with all men. Doesn't it worry you, Charmion, to feel
yourself unjustly accused?"

"It would have done once. At your age. Since then"--her eyes took the
blank, far-away look which always attended even the faintest allusion to
the past--"since then I have lost the power of caring. When one has
borne the one big hurt, the gnats have no power to sting."

I looked up eagerly, but she rose from her seat, pressing one hand
gently over my eyes.

"No! Don't ask me! You have been very sweet, very forbearing. One
great reason why my heart went out to you, Evelyn, was that you never
questioned, never tried to probe. Go on being patient! Some day you
shall know. I should like to tell you now, but I can't, I can't! You
must wait. Some day the impulse will come, then it may be a relief.
Till then, Evelyn, you must wait!"

CHAPTER NINE.

AN ENCOUNTER IN FORCE.

It is three months since we came to Pastimes, and until last week the