der for the girl
to withstand than a stronger will could comprehend. It brought back so
much to her,--those first bright days, her poor, brief little reign, her
childish pleasures, his professed love for her, all her lost delight.
If she had been deliberately bad, she would have given way that instant,
knowing that she was trifling on the brink of sin once more. But she was
not bad, only emotional, weak and wavering. The tone held her one moment
and then she burst into fresh tears.

"I wunnot listen to yo'," she cried. "I wunnot listen to yo-. I
wunnot--I wunnot," and before he had time to utter another word, she
had turned and fled down the lane back toward Joan's cottage, like some
hunted creature fleeing for life.

Joan, sitting alone, rose in alarm, when she burst open the door and
rushed in. She was quivering from head to foot, panting for breath, and
the tears were wet upon her cheeks.

"What is it?" cried Joan. "Lizzie, my lass, what ails yo'?"

She threw herself down upon the floor and hid her face in the folds of
Joan's dress.

"I--ha'--I ha' seed a ghost, or--summat," she panted and whimpered.
"I--I met summat as feart me."

"Let me go and look what it wur," said Joan. "Was it i' th' lane? Tha
art tremblin' aw o'er, Lizzie."

But Liz only clung to her more closely.

"Nay--nay," she protested. "Tha shall na go. I'm feart to be
left--an'--an' I dunnot want yo' to go. Dunnot go, Joan, dunnot."

And Joan was fain to remain.

She did not go out into the village for several days after this, Joan
observed. She stayed at home and did not even leave the cottage. She
was not like herself, either. Up to that time she had seemed to be
forgetting her trouble, and gradually slipping back into the enjoyments
she had known before she had gone away. Now a cloud seemed to be upon
her. She was restless and nervous, or listless and unhappy. She was
easily startled, and now and then Joan fancied that she was expecting
something unusual to happen. She lost color and appetite, and the
child's presence troubled her more than usual. Once, when it set up a
sudden cry, she started, and the next moment burst into tears.

"Why, Liz!" said Joan, almost tenderly. "Yo' mun be ailin', or yo'
hannot getten o'er yo're fright yet Yo're not yoresen at aw. What a
simple little lass yo' are to be feart by a boggart i' that way."

"I dunnot know what's the matter wi' me," said Liz, "I dunnot feel reet,
somehow. Happen I shall get o'er