he house, and at intervals a flitting shadow fell upon the
blind at his elbow. Words also were audible from the same apartment, and
they seemed to be those of persons in violent altercation. But the boy
could not gather their purport, and he went on his way.

Ten minutes afterwards the door of Barnet's house opened, and a tall
closely-veiled lady in a travelling-dress came out and descended the
freestone steps. The servant stood in the doorway watching her as she
went with a measured tread down the street. When she had been out of
sight for some minutes Barnet appeared at the door from within.

'Did your mistress leave word where she was going?' he asked.

'No, sir.'

'Is the carriage ordered to meet her anywhere?'

'No, sir.'

'Did she take a latch-key?'

'No, sir.'

Barnet went in again, sat down in his chair, and leaned back. Then in
solitude and silence he brooded over the bitter emotions that filled his
heart. It was for this that he had gratuitously restored her to life,
and made his union with another impossible! The evening drew on, and
nobody came to disturb him. At bedtime he told the servants to retire,
that he would sit up for Mrs. Barnet himself; and when they were gone he
leaned his head upon his hand and mused for hours.

The clock struck one, two; still his wife came not, and, with impatience
added to depression, he went from room to room till another weary hour
had passed. This was not altogether a new experience for Barnet; but she
had never before so prolonged her absence. At last he sat down again and
fell asleep.

He awoke at six o'clock to find that she had not returned. In searching
about the rooms he discovered that she had taken a case of jewels which
had been hers before her marriage. At eight a note was brought him; it
was from his wife, in which she stated that she had gone by the coach to
the house of a distant relative near London, and expressed a wish that
certain boxes, articles of clothing, and so on, might be sent to her
forthwith. The note was brought to him by a waiter at the Black-Bull
Hotel, and had been written by Mrs. Barnet immediately before she took
her place in the stage.

By the evening this order was carried out, and Barnet, with a sense of
relief, walked out into the town. A fair had been held during the day,
and the large clear moon which rose over the most prominent hill flung
its light upon the booths and standings that still remained in the
s