ought to be always on your guard?"

"Flossy--I mean Mrs. Vane. She is very kind, and watches me constantly.
Oh, I forgot," said the girl, starting to her feet, and clasping her
hands before her with a look of wretched nervous terror which went to
the Rector's heart--"I forgot--I forgot----"

"What did you forget?" said Evandale, wondering for a moment whether her
mind was not unhinged by all that she had passed through that afternoon.
Then, touched by her evident distress, he went on more lightly, "I have
been forgetting that you will be missed from the Hall by this time, and
that the whole country-side will be out after you if we do not go back
at once. I will send for a carriage and drive down with you, if you will
allow me."

Enid sank back on the sofa and assented listlessly. Mr. Evandale left
the room, and sent in his absence a comfortable-looking old housekeeper
with wine and biscuits, offers of tea and coffee, and all sorts of
medicaments suitable to a young lady who had been faint and unwell--as
was only to be expected after witnessing the death of Mrs. Meldreth,
that troublesome old person having expired quite suddenly that afternoon
when Miss Vane and Mr. Evandale were both at her bedside. Enid was not
inclined to accept any of Mrs. Heale's attentions, but, out of sheer
dislike to hurting her feelings, she at last accepted a cup of tea, and
was glad of the reviving warmth which it brought to her cold and tired
limbs. And then Mr. Evandale returned.

"There is no carriage at the inn," he said; "and I am sorry to say, Miss
Vane, that I do not possess one that would suit you--I have only a high
dog-cart and a kicking mare; so I have taken the liberty of sending down
to the Hall and telling Mrs. Vane that you are here; and she will no
doubt send a carriage for you. I wrote a little note to her--it was the
best thing, I thought, that I could do."

"Yes," said Enid, almost inaudibly. Then she leaned back and closed her
eyes, looking as if she felt sick and faint.

Mrs. Heale glided away, in obedience to a nod from her master, and the
Rector was once more alone with Enid Vane.

"I hope," he said, with a slight hesitation, which was rather graceful
in a man of his commanding stature and singular loftiness of bearing--"I
hope, Miss Vane, you will not think that I have been intrusive when I
tell you that I entreated Sabina Meldreth to confess anything that might
weigh upon her conscience, as her mother had confes