is so closely united to Caroline, and so likely to influence her
good opinion of him.

May 11. Late.--I cannot sleep, and in desperation have lit my candle and
taken up my pen. My restlessness is occasioned by what has occurred to-
day, which at first I did not mean to write down, or trust to any heart
but my own. We went to Wherryborne Wood--Caroline, Charles and I, as we
had intended--and walked all three along the green track through the
midst, Charles in the middle between Caroline and myself. Presently I
found that, as usual, he and I were the only talkers, Caroline amusing
herself by observing birds and squirrels as she walked docilely alongside
her betrothed. Having noticed this I dropped behind at the first
opportunity and slipped among the trees, in a direction in which I knew I
should find another path that would take me home. Upon this track I by
and by emerged, and walked along it in silent thought till, at a bend, I
suddenly encountered M. de la Feste standing stock still and smiling
thoughtfully at me.

'Where is Caroline?' said I.

'Only a little way off,' says he. 'When we missed you from behind us we
thought you might have mistaken the direction we had followed, so she has
gone one way to find you and I have come this way.'

We then went back to find Caroline, but could not discover her anywhere,
and the upshot was that he and I were wandering about the woods alone for
more than an hour. On reaching home we found she had given us up after
searching a little while, and arrived there some time before. I should
not be so disturbed by the incident if I had not perceived that, during
her absence from us, he did not make any earnest effort to rediscover
her; and in answer to my repeated expressions of wonder as to whither she
could have wandered he only said, 'Oh, she's quite safe; she told me she
knew the way home from any part of this wood. Let us go on with our
talk. I assure you I value this privilege of being with one I so much
admire more than you imagine;' and other things of that kind. I was so
foolish as to show a little perturbation--I cannot tell why I did not
control myself; and I think he noticed that I was not cool. Caroline
has, with her simple good faith, thought nothing of the occurrence; yet
altogether I am not satisfied.

CHAPTER V.--HER SITUATION IS A TRYING ONE

May 15.--The more I think of it day after day, the more convinced I am
that my suspicions are true. H