did not answer. His hands had dropped on to her shoulders; he stood
there holding her and looking into her face, glowing with a beauty that
he had never seen in it before, and in his eyes was still that puzzled
look, the look of a man who does not quite understand.

"Why, Gipsy girl!" he said slowly, "you are a woman--you have grown up
all suddenly."

"Yes, I am--I am a woman!" She laughed, but the laughter ended in a sob.
She bent her head, and Johnny, strangely puzzled, slipped his arm about
her and drew her a little closer to him.

He had thought her a child; but she was a woman, and he had seen in her
eyes that which set his dull wits wondering.

CHAPTER XXXVI

"HE HAS COME BACK"

It was exactly a week since his departure that Hugh returned to Starden,
and found Mrs. Bonner a little surprised, but by no means unready.

"You said as you'd send me a message, sir," she said.

"I did, and I haven't done it--I'll take the consequences." But there
were no consequences to take. She prepared him an ample meal at the
shortest notice, and was willing enough to stop and talk to him while he
ate it.

"Anything new, anything fresh?"

"Nothing!"

"No strangers about Starden?"

"No!"

Had Slotman been? That was what Hugh wanted to know. Presently he asked
the question direct.

"You don't happen to have seen that man I described to you some time
back, a stout man with a lean face, overdressed, thick red lips, small
eyes?"

"Law bless us! yes. I see him two days ago, drove past he did in a
car--a shabby-looking car it was, but he didn't stop. He just stared at
the cottage as he drove past, and I got an idea he smiled, only I ain't
sure. I am sure of one thing, however; he did stare terribul hard at
this cottage!"

"You are sure it is the man?"

Mrs. Bonner described Mr. Slotman's appearance vividly, and Mr. Slotman,
had he been there, might not have been pleased to hear of the impression
he had made on the good woman.

"A man," she concluded, "as I wouldn't trust, not a hinch!"

"It's the man!" Hugh thought. "And he's come back, as I thought he
would. Funny he should look at the cottage! Good Lord! I wonder if he
has spies about here?"

"Anyone else been? I suppose no one came here to ask about me, for
instance, Mrs. Bonner?"

"No one, sir, not a soul, no--stay a moment. The day you left that there
nosey Parker of a gel Alice Betts came. I couldn't make out whatever she
came for. Me, I don't 'ol