self. I don't rightly know what I am saying or doing."

I pointed to the new side of the cottage, behind us.

"Is the cause there?" I asked.

"No! no indeed! I have not seen him; I have not heard from him. His
servant often brings me messages. Not one message to-day."

"Have you seen Gloody to-day?"

"Oh, yes! There's one thing, if I may make so bold, I should like to
know. Mr. Gloody is as good to me as good can be; we see each other
continually, living in the same place. But you are different; and he
tells me himself he has only seen you twice. What have you done, Mr.
Gerard, to make him like you so well, in that short time?"

I told her that he had been found in my garden, looking at the flowers.
"As he had done no harm," I said, "I wouldn't allow the servant to turn
him out; and I walked round the flower-beds with him. Little enough to
deserve such gratitude as the poor fellow expressed--and felt, I don't
doubt it."

I had intended to say no more than this. But the remembrance of Gloody's
mysterious prevarication, and of the uneasiness which I had undoubtedly
felt when I thought of it afterwards, led me (I cannot pretend to say
how) into associating Cristel's agitation with something which this man
might have said to her. I was on the point of putting the question, when
she held up her hand, and said, "Hush!"

The wind was blowing towards us from the river-side village, to which I
have already alluded. I am not sure whether I have mentioned that the
name of the place was Kylam. It was situated behind a promontory of the
river-bank, clothed thickly with trees, and was not visible from the
mill. In the present direction of the wind, we could hear the striking of
the church clock. Cristel counted the strokes.

"Seven," she said. "Are you determined to keep your engagement?"

She had repeated--in an unsteady voice, and with a sudden change in her
color to paleness--the strange question put to me by Gloody. In his case
I had failed to trace the motive. I tried to discover it now.

"Tell me why I ought to break my engagement," I said.

"Remember what I told you at the spring," she answered. "You are deceived
by a false friend who lies to you and hates you."

The man she was speaking of turned the corner of the new cottage. He
waved his hand gaily, and approached us along the road.

"Go!" she said. "Your guardian angel has forgotten you. It's too late
now."

Instead of letting me precede her, as I had anti