be a compliment,
not to over-tire myself, or to go home to rest,--this was all our
intercourse. And yet, in spite of his guarded looks and words, I was
often triumphant, even happy.

Outwardly, and to all appearance, I was left alone, but I knew that it
was far otherwise in reality. I was most strictly watched. Nothing
escaped his scrutiny. At the first sign of fatigue he was ready to take
my place, or find help for me. Mrs. Saunders, the mistress of the Man and
Plough, told me more than once that the doctor had been most particular
in telling her to look after me. Nor was this all.

Once or twice, when I had been singing in the summer twilight, I had
risen suddenly to lower a blind or admit Tinker, and had seen a tall,
dark figure moving away behind the laurel bushes, and knew that it was
Mr. Hamilton returning from some late visit and lingering in the dusky
road to listen to me.

After I had discovered this for the third time, I began to think he came
on purpose to hear me. My heart beat happily at the thought. In spite of
his displeasure with me, he could not keep away from the cottage.

After this I sang every evening regularly for an hour, and always in
the gloaming: it became my one pleasure, for I knew I was singing to him.
Now and then I was rewarded by a sight of his shadow. More than once I
saw him clearly in the moonlight. When I closed my piano, I used to
whisper 'Good-night, Giles,' and go to bed almost happy. It was a little
hard to meet him the next morning in Janet's room and answer his dry
matter-of-fact questions. Sometimes I had to turn away to hide a smile.

Gladys's first visit was very disappointing. But everything was
disappointing in those days. She had her old harassed look, and seemed
worried and miserable, and for once I had no heart to cheer her, only I
held her close, very close, feeling that she was dearer to me than ever.

She looked in my face rather inquiringly as she disengaged herself, and
then smiled faintly.

'I could not come before, Ursula; and you have never been to see me,' a
little reproachfully, 'though I looked for you every afternoon. I have no
Lady Betty, you know, and things have been worse than ever. I cannot
think what has come to Etta. She is always spiteful and sneering when
Giles is not by. And as for Giles, I do not know what is the matter with
him.'

'How do you mean?' I faltered, hunting in my work basket for some silk
that was lying close to my hand.

'