r some moments it was
almost impossible to see anything. The squire was nowhere to be seen.
John turned and helped Nellie off the back seat of the dog-cart.

"I am afraid we must have passed him," he said quietly. Formerly Mrs.
Goddard's tone of anxiety as she asked for the squire would have roused
John's resentment; he now thought nothing of it. Reynolds prepared to
move off.

"Won't you please wait a moment, Reynolds?" said Mrs. Goddard, going
close to the old man. She could not have told why she asked him to stay,
it was a nervous impulse.

"Why?" asked John. "You know I am going to the Hall."

"Yes, of course. I only thought, perhaps, you and Mr. Juxon would like to
drive up--it is so dark. I am sure Mr. Ambrose would not mind you taking
the gentlemen up to the Hall, Reynolds?"

"No m'm. I'm quite sure as he wouldn't," exclaimed Reynolds with great
alacrity. He immediately had visions of a pint of beer in the Hall
kitchen.

"You do not think Mr. Juxon may have gone on alone, Mr. Short?" said Mrs.
Goddard, leaning upon the wicket gate. Her face looked very pale in the
gloom.

"No--at would be very odd if he did," replied John, who had his hands in
his greatcoat pockets and slowly stamped one foot after another on the
hard ground, to keep himself warm.

"Then we must have passed him on the road," said Mrs. Goddard. "But I was
so sure I saw nobody--"

"I think he will come presently," answered John in a reassuring tone.
"Why do you wait, Mrs. Goddard? You must be cold, and it is dangerous for
you to be out here. Don't wait, Reynolds," he added; "we will walk up."

"Oh please don't," cried Mrs. Goddard, imploringly.

John looked at her in some surprise. The cloud suddenly passed from
before the moon and he could see her anxious upturned face quite plainly.
He could not in the least understand the cause of her anxiety, but he
supposed her nervousness was connected with her indisposition. Reynolds
on his part, being anxious for beer, showed no disposition to move, but
sat with stolid indifference, loosely holding the reins while Strawberry,
the old mare, hung down her head and stamped from time to time in a
feeble and antiquated fashion. For some minutes there was total silence.
Not a step was to be heard upon the road, not a sound of any kind, save
the strong east wind rushing past the cottage and losing itself among the
withered oaks of the park opposite.

Suddenly a deep and bell-mouthed note resounded t