or without remarking.

"Are you able to walk on now?" he asked, looking at her with real
solicitude and anxiety.

"Oh! yes," she answered, and they went on slowly.

"But how did you come?" she inquired after a minute's silence. "The road
seemed quite deserted just before."

"I came up from the landing below there. Bellairs persuaded me to go out
fishing with him this evening, and as we came back I caught sight of a
figure I thought was yours, and made him land me--happily just in time."

"Happily indeed. I did not even see your boat."

"We were too close under the bank most of the time. At the landing,
there was a canoe lying, with a man in it, most likely waiting for that
brute. You see he is gone down towards it."

Lucia shuddered. "I think I should have fallen down in another minute. I
looked round once, and saw such a horrible face, red and swollen and
frightful, with the hair all hanging about it. I shall never forget
it."

"Don't speak of it at present. You see it is not safe for you to go
about alone."

"But I never was frightened before. Now, I believe I shall be, always."

"And I shall not be here again. I was coming to-night to tell you that I
am summoned home."

They stopped involuntarily, and their eyes met. There was an equal
trouble in both faces. Lucia was the first to recover herself; she made
a movement to go on, and tried to speak, but felt instantly that her
voice could not be trusted.

Mr. Percy's prudence failed utterly. "I meant to say good-bye" he said,
"but it is harder than I thought. I can't leave you here, after all.
Lucia, you must come with me."

He was holding her hand, forcing her to stop and to look at him, and
finding in her beautiful, innocent face the sweetest excuse a man could
have for such madness. Madness it must have been, for he had wholly
forgotten himself, and all his life had taught him; and for the moment
felt that this girl, who loved him, was worth more than everything else
in the world would be without her.

That night Lucia saw nothing of the sunset. Dusk came on, and the
fireflies began to flit round them, before the two, who were so
occupied with each other, came to the Cottage gate. When they did so,
they had yet a few last words to say.

"What will mamma say?" Lucia half whispered. "I am almost afraid to see
her."

"Will you tell her or shall I? Which shall you like best? I will come in
the morning."

"I shall not sleep to-night if she does not