ature of his thoughts occurred to him he almost despised himself for
his weakness. Surely he needed another grave than that he had dug while in
the privacy of his own room; a grave that would keep entombed that which he
wished to put forever out of his memory! It was only by bringing up to his
mind his own imperfections that he could keep Dexie out of his thoughts.

But as days went by, and other matters of importance intervened, he was
kept so busy, mentally as well as bodily, that his love was put back out of
sight; he felt her absence less keenly, and his love for Dexie was thought
of as a thing of the past.

CHAPTER XX.

We must now return to the young travellers, whom we left in the car,
expecting to reach their destination by nightfall. In this they were
disappointed, for when the train was within a few miles of Truro it came to
a sudden standstill, throwing some of the passengers out of their seats,
but seriously injuring no one.

"Something wrong with the engine!" was the explanation, when heads were
thrust from the windows to inquire the cause of the trouble.

This explanation was received with due submission by those accustomed to
railway travelling, but Elsie, her nerves unstrung by other causes, sat
crying hysterically, and would give no heed to Lancy's repeated declaration
that nothing serious was the matter.

"We will be detained here for a while, Elsie, but that is all," he added.

Elsie, though, seemed unable to control her sobs, and Dexie began to feel
anxious, for these crying fits invariably brought on a nervous headache,
and when at last the train started, Elsie was hardly in a fit state to
continue the journey.

Under the circumstances Lancy deemed it best to stop over at Truro until
the next trip of the Island boat. This would give Elsie time to recover,
and they would have an opportunity to see something of the pretty town they
had heard so highly praised.

Elsie felt relieved at this decision. She was unused to travelling, and
found the short journey tiresome in the extreme; indeed her throbbing
temples called imperatively for quietness and rest.

The train steamed into the dark, tunnel-like depot, and stepping out on the
platform, they found, after some difficulty, the little room that was
designated "The Waiting-Room," where Lancy left the girls to inquire for
hotel accommodations.

While in semi-darkness they waited his return, Dexie tried to ascertain if
there was not a pl