hole of my future
happiness, and consequently my prosperity in life, was at stake at
that instant. To clear up the mystery successfully might be to clear
my love of the awful stigma upon her. To watch and to listen was the
only way; but the difficulties in the dead silence of the night were
well-nigh insurmountable, for I dare not approach sufficiently near to
catch a single word. I had crept on after them for about a mile, until
we were approaching the tumbling waters of the weir. The dull roar
swallowed up the sound of their voices, but it assisted me, for I had
no further need to tread noiselessly.

On nearing the lock-keeper's cottage, a little white-washed house
wherein the inmates were sleeping soundly, they made a wide detour
around the meadow, in order to avoid the chance of being seen. Mary
was well known to the old lock-keeper who had controlled those great
sluices for thirty years or more, and she knew that at night he was
often compelled to be on duty, and might at that very moment be
sitting on the bench outside his house, smoking his short clay.

I, however, had no such fear. Stepping lightly upon the grass beside
the path I went past the house and continued onward by the riverside,
passing at once into the deep shadow of the willows, which
effectually concealed me.

The pair were walking at the same slow, deliberate pace beneath the
high hedge on the further side of the meadow, evidently intending to
rejoin the river-path some distance further up. This gave me an
opportunity to get on in front of them, and I seized it without delay;
for I was anxious to obtain another view of the face of the man whom I
had for months believed to be in his grave.

Keeping in the shadow of the trees and bushes that overhung the
stream, I sped onward for ten minutes or more until I came to the
boundary of the great pasture, passing through the swing gate by which
I felt confident that they must also pass. I turned to look before
leaving the meadow, and could just distinguish their figures. They had
turned at right angles, and, as I had expected, were walking in my
direction.

Forward I went again, and after some hurried search discovered a spot
close to the path where concealment behind a great old tree seemed
possible; so at that coign of vantage I waited breathlessly for their
approach. The roaring of the waters behind would, I feared, prevent
any of their words from reaching me; nevertheless, I waited anxiously.