signal meant? If
it was a mere acknowledgment of death, how reconcile the sentimentality
which prompted such an acknowledgment with the monstrous and diseased
passions lying at the base of the whole dreadful occurrence? Lastly, if
it was the result of pure carelessness, a bit of crape having been
caught up and used for a purpose for which any ordinary string would
have answered, what a wonderful coincidence between it and my
thoughts,--a coincidence, indeed, amounting almost to miracle!

Marvelling at the whole affair and deciding nothing, I allowed myself to
stroll down alone to the gate, William having left me at my peremptory
refusal to drag my skirts any longer through the briers. The day being
bright and the sunshine warm, the road looked less gloomy than usual,
especially in the direction of the village and Deacon Spear's cottage.
The fact is, that anything seemed better than the grim and lowering
walls of the house behind me. If my home was there, so was my dread, and
I welcomed the sight of Mother Jane's heavy figure bent over her herbs
at the door of her hut, a few paces to my left, where the road turned.

Had she not been deaf, I believed I would have called her. As it was, I
contented myself with watching the awkward swayings of her body as she
pottered to and fro among her turnips and carrots. My eyes were still on
her when I suddenly heard the clatter of a horse's hoofs on the highway.
Looking up, I encountered the trim figure of Mr. Trohm, bending to me
from a fine sorrel.

"Good morning, Miss Butterworth. It's a great relief to me to see you in
such good health and spirits this morning," were the pleasant words with
which he endeavored, perhaps, to explain his presence in a spot more or
less under a ban.

It was certainly a surprise. What right had I to look for such
attentions from a man whose acquaintance I had made only the day before?
It touched me, little as I am in the habit of allowing myself to be
ruled by trivial sentimentalities, and though I was discreet enough to
avoid any further recognition of his kindness than was his due from a
lady of great self-respect, he was evidently sufficiently gratified by
my response to draw rein and pause for a moment's conversation under the
pine trees. This for the moment seemed so natural that I forgot that
more than one pair of eyes might be watching me from the windows behind
us--eyes which might wonder at a meeting which to the foolish
understandings o