as
it was called in those days--and pick them up on the other side of the
promontory, which they were to reach by crossing the harbour-bridge on
foot, and climbing over the Look-out hill.

As soon as her father had ascended to his room she left the house, and,
bundle in hand, proceeded at a trot along the lane. At such an hour not
a soul was afoot anywhere in the village, and she reached the junction of
the lane with the highway unobserved. Here she took up her position in
the obscurity formed by the angle of a fence, whence she could discern
every one who approached along the turnpike-road, without being herself
seen.

She had not remained thus waiting for her lover longer than a
minute--though from the tension of her nerves the lapse of even that
short time was trying--when, instead of the expected footsteps, the stage-
coach could be heard descending the hill. She knew that Tina would not
show himself till the road was clear, and waited impatiently for the
coach to pass. Nearing the corner where she was it slackened speed, and,
instead of going by as usual, drew up within a few yards of her. A
passenger alighted, and she heard his voice. It was Humphrey Gould's.

He had brought a friend with him, and luggage. The luggage was deposited
on the grass, and the coach went on its route to the royal
watering-place.

'I wonder where that young man is with the horse and trap?' said her
former admirer to his companion. 'I hope we shan't have to wait here
long. I told him half-past nine o'clock precisely.'

'Have you got her present safe?'

'Phyllis's? O, yes. It is in this trunk. I hope it will please her.'

'Of course it will. What woman would not be pleased with such a handsome
peace-offering?'

'Well--she deserves it. I've treated her rather badly. But she has been
in my mind these last two days much more than I should care to confess to
everybody. Ah, well; I'll say no more about that. It cannot be that she
is so bad as they make out. I am quite sure that a girl of her good wit
would know better than to get entangled with any of those Hanoverian
soldiers. I won't believe it of her, and there's an end on't.'

More words in the same strain were casually dropped as the two men
waited; words which revealed to her, as by a sudden illumination, the
enormity of her conduct. The conversation was at length cut off by the
arrival of the man with the vehicle. The luggage was placed in it, and
they moun