ht, she moved to and fro among the mounds,
pausing often, and once he thought she knelt. Then slowly she returned,
and he raised himself and waited; she saw him, started, then paused.

"I thought you were away," she said; "Pomp told me so."

"You set him to watch me?"

"Yes. I wished to come here once, and I did not wish to meet you."

"Why did you wish to come?"

"Because Ward was here--and because--because--never mind. It is enough
that I wished to walk once among those mounds."

"And pray there?"

"Well--and if I did!" said the girl defiantly.

Rodman stood facing her, with his arms folded; his eyes rested on her
face; he said nothing.

"I am going away to-morrow," began Miss Ward again, assuming with an
effort her old, pulseless manner. "I have sold the place, and I shall
never return, I think; I am going far away."

"Where?"

"To Tennessee."

"That is not so very far," said the keeper, smiling.

"There I shall begin a new existence," pursued the voice, ignoring the
comment.

"You have scarcely begun the old; you are hardly more than a child, now.
What are you going to do in Tennessee?"

"Teach."

"Have you relatives there?"

"No."

"A miserable life--a hard, lonely, loveless life," said Rodman. "God
help the woman who must be that dreary thing, a teacher from necessity!"

Miss Ward turned swiftly, but the keeper kept by her side. He saw the
tears glittering on her eyelashes, and his voice softened. "Do not leave
me in anger," he said; "I should not have spoken so, although indeed it
was the truth. Walk back with me to the cottage, and take your last look
at the room where poor Ward died, and then I will go with you to your
home."

"No; Pomp is waiting at the gate," said the girl, almost inarticulately.

"Very well; to the gate, then."

They went toward the cottage in silence; the keeper threw open the door.
"Go in," he said. "I will wait outside."

The girl entered and went into the inner room, throwing herself down
upon her knees at the bedside. "O Ward, Ward!" she sobbed; "I am all
alone in the world now, Ward--all alone!" She buried her face in her
hands and gave way to a passion of tears; and the keeper could not help
but hear as he waited outside. Then the desolate little creature rose
and came forth, putting on, as she did so, her poor armor of pride. The
keeper had not moved from the door-step. Now he turned his face. "Before
you go--go away for ever from this place--will you w