lties which beset her. No, it was some
personal attraction about the woman which drew her in a most unusual
way. Philippa was not in the habit of feeling drawn to people of whom
she had so slight a knowledge, and she was inclined to think that it
was only a feeling of loneliness which prompted her to seek the only
person to whom she could talk in an ordinary, everyday way, and so
obtain an antidote for the clamour and unrest of mind of which she was
only too conscious.

She had barely mounted the hill on to Bessmoor, and felt the wind
blowing cool from the sea with a salt tang most refreshing to her, than
she saw, a few yards off the road, and under the shelter of some
gnarled thorn-bushes, a little encampment, and she directed her steps
towards it.

Miss Vernon was seated on the ground beside a small cart, and at a
little distance away a donkey stood contentedly, flicking away the
flies which disturbed his peace.

To a critical observer the down-trodden state of the grass and
undergrowth might have suggested that the place had been occupied for
more than a few hours, but Philippa was not in a mood to be observant,
or to wonder how long the other had waited for her arrival. Nor did
Isabella Vernon say a word to betray the fact that she had spent the
whole of the previous day in precisely her present position, having
carefully chosen a point of vantage from which any one coming along the
road from Bessacre could not by any means fail to be visible to her.

She scrambled to her feet. "I am so pleased to see you," she said.
And the warmth of her greeting was unmistakable, not so much in the
words, which were conventional enough, as in the tone of real welcome
in which they were spoken.

"I am fortunate to find you," replied Philippa. "I was hoping so much
that I might see you. You told me you were often on Bessmoor."

"Every day. I live out of doors. Now I do trust that you have time to
come and see my cottage. It is not very far off, and if you do not
scorn my humble equipage, my donkey, who seems to be sound asleep at
the moment, will save you the trouble of walking. You look very white,
I hope you have not been ill."

"It is only the effect of a stupid headache which bothered me
yesterday, but I am really all right to-day."

Isabella eyed her searchingly. "Humph! you don't look it," she said
candidly. "But let us see what a drive in our splendid air will do for
you. It will not take more than a fe