d to
be the fact: some of their words floated across to him, and caused him to
forget at once the coldness of his situation.

'What's the vessel?'

'A lugger, about fifty tons.'

'From Cherbourg, I suppose?'

'Yes, 'a b'lieve.'

'But it don't all belong to Owlett?'

'O no. He's only got a share. There's another or two in it--a farmer
and such like, but the names I don't know.'

The voices died away, and the heads and shoulders of the men diminished
towards the cliff, and dropped out of sight.

'My darling has been tempted to buy a share by that unbeliever Owlett,'
groaned the minister, his honest affection for Lizzy having quickened to
its intensest point during these moments of risk to her person and name.
'That's why she's here,' he said to himself. 'O, it will be the ruin of
her!'

His perturbation was interrupted by the sudden bursting out of a bright
and increasing light from the spot where Lizzy was in hiding. A few
seconds later, and before it had reached the height of a blaze, he heard
her rush past him down the hollow like a stone from a sling, in the
direction of home. The light now flared high and wide, and showed its
position clearly. She had kindled a bough of furze and stuck it into the
bush under which she had been crouching; the wind fanned the flame, which
crackled fiercely, and threatened to consume the bush as well as the
bough. Stockdale paused just long enough to notice thus much, and then
followed rapidly the route taken by the young woman. His intention was
to overtake her, and reveal himself as a friend; but run as he would he
could see nothing of her. Thus he flew across the open country about
Holworth, twisting his legs and ankles in unexpected fissures and
descents, till, on coming to the gate between the downs and the road, he
was forced to pause to get breath. There was no audible movement either
in front or behind him, and he now concluded that she had not outrun him,
but that, hearing him at her heels, and believing him one of the excise
party, she had hidden herself somewhere on the way, and let him pass by.

He went on at a more leisurely pace towards the village. On reaching the
house he found his surmise to be correct, for the gate was on the latch,
and the door unfastened, just as he had left them. Stockdale closed the
door behind him, and waited silently in the passage. In about ten
minutes he heard the same light footstep that he had heard in going out;
it