yone see Measter Dunster come here?"

"I don't know," said Mr. Wilkins, recovering his speech. "It all seems
in a mist. He offered to walk home with me; I did not want him. I was
almost rude to him to keep him off. I did not want to talk of business;
I had taken too much wine to be very clear and some things at the office
were not quite in order, and he had found it out. If anyone heard our
conversation, they must know I did not want him to come with me. Oh! why
would he come? He was as obstinate--he would come--and here it has been
his death!"

"Well, sir, what's done can't be undone, and I'm sure we'd any of us
bring him back to life if we could, even by cutting off our hands, though
he was a mighty plaguey chap while he'd breath in him. But what I'm
thinking is this: it'll maybe go awkward with you, sir, if he's found
here. One can't say. But don't you think, miss, as he's neither kith
nor kin to miss him, we might just bury him away before morning,
somewhere? There's better nor four hours of dark. I wish we could put
him i' the churchyard, but that can't be; but, to my mind, the sooner we
set about digging a place for him to lie in, poor fellow, the better
it'll be for us all in the end. I can pare a piece of turf up where
it'll never be missed, and if master'll take one spade, and I another,
why we'll lay him softly down, and cover him up, and no one'll be the
wiser."

There was no reply from either for a minute or so. Then Mr. Wilkins
said:

"If my father could have known of my living to this! Why, they will try
me as a criminal; and you, Ellinor? Dixon, you are right. We must
conceal it, or I must cut my throat, for I never could live through it.
One minute of passion, and my life blasted!"

"Come along, sir," said Dixon; "there's no time to lose." And they went
out in search of tools; Ellinor following them, shivering all over, but
begging that she might be with them, and not have to remain in the study
with--

She would not be bidden into her own room; she dreaded inaction and
solitude. She made herself busy with carrying heavy baskets of turf, and
straining her strength to the utmost; fetching all that was wanted, with
soft swift steps.

Once, as she passed near the open study door, she thought that she heard
a rustling, and a flash of hope came across her. Could he be reviving?
She entered, but a moment was enough to undeceive her; it had only been a
night rustle among the trees.