nor would indeed be permitted; she had to reckon
with Mary Woodruff. Mary, thanks to her old master, enjoyed an
income more than sufficient to her needs; if Nancy must needs go into
lodgings,--inevitable, perhaps, as matters stood,--her friend was ready
with kind and practical suggestion; to wit, that she should take and
furnish a house for herself, and place a portion of it at Mrs. Tarrant's
disposal. To this even Tarrant could offer no objection; he stipulated
only that his wife should find a temporary refuge from the home she had
occupied on false pretences until Mary had her new house in readiness.
This was managed without difficulty. Nancy went to Dulwich, and for
several weeks dwelt with the honest woman who took care of her child.

Of the dealings between Nancy and her legal guardians Tarrant learned
nothing, save the bare fact that her marriage was avowed, and all
benefit under her father's will renounced. He did not visit the house
at Dulwich, and only saw his child after the removal to Harrow. On this
occasion he asked Nancy what arrangements had been made concerning the
money that must be reimbursed to the Messrs Barmby; she replied that
justice would be done, but the affair was hers alone, and to her must be
left.

Tarrant himself suggested the neighbourhood of Harrow for Nancy's abode.
It united the conditions of being remote from Camberwell, of lying
beyond the great smoke-area, and of permitting him, poor as he was, to
visit his wife whenever he thought fit.

In December, Nancy had lived thus for all but a twelvemonth, seeing the
while none of her old acquaintances, and with very little news from her
old world. What she heard came through Horace, who, after learning
with astonishment the secret in his sister's life, came by degrees to
something like the old terms of affection with her, and went over to
Harrow pretty frequently. Of his engagement to Winifred Chittle he at
once informed Nancy, who tried to be glad of it, but could have little
faith in anything traceable to the influence of Mrs. Damerel. With
that lady the Harrow household had no direct communication; Tarrant had
written to her on the night of crisis, civilly requesting her to keep
aloof, as her advice and assistance were in nowise needed. She answered
him with good temper, and wrote kindly to Nancy; after that, silence on
both sides.

It wanted a few days to Christmas; with nightfall had come a roaring
wind and sleety rain; the house-do