ree feet in depth. He drew the corpse
to the bank, and, in so doing, recognised his acquaintance, Mr. Fouracres,
with whom he had spent an hour or two at a public-house in Woodbury on the
evening before. How the landlord of the Pig and Whistle had come to this
tragic end neither the gardener nor any one else in the neighbourhood could
conjecture.

Mr. Ruddiman set to work at once on harnessing the pony, while Miss
Fouracres, now quietly weeping, went to prepare herself for the journey. In
a very few minutes the vehicle was ready at the door. The messenger had
already ridden away.

'Can you drive yourself, Miss Fouracres?' asked Ruddiman, looking and
speaking with genuine sympathy.

'Oh yes, sir. But I don't know what to do about the house. I may be away
all day. And what about you, sir?'

'Leave me to look after myself, Miss Fouracres. And trust me to look after
the house too, will you? You know I can do it. Will you trust me?'

'It's only that I'm ashamed, sir--'

'Not a bit of it. I'm very glad, indeed, to be useful; I assure you I am.'

'But your dinner, sir?'

'Why, there's cold meat. Don't you worry, Miss Fouracres. I'll look after
myself, and the house too; see if I don't. Go at once, and keep your mind
at ease on my account, pray do!'

'It's very good of you, sir, I'm sure it is. Oh, I _knew_ something was
going to happen! Didn't I _say_ so?'

Mr. Ruddiman helped her into the trap; they shook hands silently, and Miss
Fouracres drove away. Before the turn of the road she looked back. Ruddiman
was still watching her; he waved his hand, and the young woman waved to him
in reply.

Left alone, the under-master took off his coat and put on an apron, then
addressed himself to the task of washing up his breakfast things.
Afterwards he put his bedroom in order. About ten o'clock the first
customer came in, and, as luck had it, the day proved a busier one than
usual. No less than four cyclists stopped to make a meal. Mr. Ruddiman was
able to supply them with cold beef and ham; moreover, he cooked eggs, he
made tea--and all this with a skill and expedition which could hardly have
been expected of him. None the less did he think constantly of Miss
Fouracres. About five in the afternoon wheels sounded; aproned and in his
shirt-sleeves, he ran to the door--as he had already done several times at
the sound of a vehicle--and with great satisfaction saw the face of his
hostess. She, too, though her eyes showed she ha