sh I knew what to do. I
don't want to be uncivil to him; but I don't wish to see him again;
and I have some few little things to return to him."

"If you choose to send 'em by me, miss, and a note to tell him that
you wish to say no more to him, I'll take it for you quite privately.
That would be the most straightforward way of letting him know your
mind."

"Very well," said Eustacia. "Come towards my house, and I will bring
it out to you."

She went on, and as the path was an infinitely small parting in the
shaggy locks of the heath, the reddleman followed exactly in her
trail. She saw from a distance that the captain was on the bank
sweeping the horizon with his telescope; and bidding Venn to wait
where he stood she entered the house alone.

In ten minutes she returned with a parcel and a note, and said, in
placing them in his hand, "Why are you so ready to take these for me?"

"Can you ask that?"

"I suppose you think to serve Thomasin in some way by it. Are you as
anxious as ever to help on her marriage?"

Venn was a little moved. "I would sooner have married her myself," he
said in a low voice. "But what I feel is that if she cannot be happy
without him I will do my duty in helping her to get him, as a man
ought."

Eustacia looked curiously at the singular man who spoke thus. What
a strange sort of love, to be entirely free from that quality of
selfishness which is frequently the chief constituent of the passion,
and sometimes its only one! The reddleman's disinterestedness was so
well deserving of respect that it overshot respect by being barely
comprehended; and she almost thought it absurd.

"Then we are both of one mind at last," she said.

"Yes," replied Venn gloomily. "But if you would tell me, miss, why
you take such an interest in her, I should be easier. It is so sudden
and strange."

Eustacia appeared at a loss. "I cannot tell you that, reddleman," she
said coldly.

Venn said no more. He pocketed the letter, and, bowing to Eustacia,
went away.

Rainbarrow had again become blended with night when Wildeve ascended
the long acclivity at its base. On his reaching the top a shape grew
up from the earth immediately behind him. It was that of Eustacia's
emissary. He slapped Wildeve on the shoulder. The feverish young
innkeeper and ex-engineer started like Satan at the touch of
Ithuriel's spear.

"The meeting is always at eight o'clock, at this place," said Venn,
"and here we are--we three."