As his manner showed even more feeling than the occasion seemed to
warrant, I made haste to answer that I was well acquainted with the
tradition of the lane; that its name alone showed what had happened
here.

His bearing betrayed an instant relief.

"I am glad to find you so well informed," said he. "I was afraid"--here
he cast another very strange glance at William--"that your young friends
might have shrunk, from some sense of delicacy, from telling you what
might frighten most guests from a lonely road like this. I compliment
you upon their thoughtfulness."

William bowed as if the words of the other contained no other suggestion
than that which was openly apparent. Was he so dull, or was he--I had
not time to finish my conjectures even in my own mind, for at this
moment a quick cry rose behind us, and Lucetta's light figure appeared
running toward us with every indication of excitement.

"Ah," murmured Mr. Trohm, with an appearance of great respect, "your
sister, Mr. Knollys. I had better be moving on. Good-morning, Miss
Butterworth. I am sorry that circumstances make it impossible for me to
offer you those civilities which you might reasonably expect from so
near a neighbor. Miss Lucetta and I are at swords' points over a matter
upon which I still insist she is to blame. See how shocked she is to see
me even standing at her gate."

Shocked! I would have said terrified. Nothing but fear--her old fear
aggravated to a point that made all attempt at concealment
impossible--could account for her white, drawn features and trembling
form. She looked as if her whole thought was, "Have I come in time?"

"What--what has procured us the honor of this visit?" she asked, moving
up beside William as if she would add her slight frame to his bulky one
to keep this intruder out.

"Nothing that need alarm you," said the other with a suggestive note in
his kind and mellow voice. "I was rather unexpectedly intrusted this
morning with a letter for your agreeable guest here, and I have merely
come to deliver it."

Her look of astonishment passing from him to me, I thrust my hand into
my pocket and drew out the letter which I had just received.

"From home," said I, without properly considering that this was in some
measure an untruth.

"Oh!" she murmured as if but half convinced. "William could have gone
for it," she added, still eying Mr. Trohm with a pitiful anxiety.

"I was only too happy," said the other, with a low an