at last Beth said it was time to go home, and they strolled away
arm in arm, Alfred and Dicksie discovered that they were late, and
Beth insisted on parting from them at the field-gate into the vicarage
grounds instead of letting them see her safe into the street. When
they left her, she hurried on down the path beside the church alone,
and she had not taken many steps before she was suddenly confronted by
a tall dark man, who made as if he would not let her pass. She stopped
startled, and then went straight up to him boldly and peered into his
face.

"Is that you, Gard?" she exclaimed. "How dare you!"

"How dare you!" he rejoined impudently. "I've had my eye on you for
some time. I saw you out there just now in the field. I was determined
to know what you were up to. There's mighty little happens here that I
don't know."

"Oh," said Beth, "so you're the town spy, are you? Well, you're not
going to spy upon me, so I warn you, Mr. Gard. The next time I come
here, I'll come armed, and if I catch you dogging me about again, I'll
shoot you as dead as my father's pistols can do it. And as it is, you
shall pay for this, I promise you. Just step aside now, you cowardly
black devil, and let me pass. Do you think that it's milk I've got in
my veins that you come out on a fool's errand to frighten me?"

Without a word the man stepped aside, and Beth walked on down the path
with her head in the air, and deliberately, to let him see how little
she feared him.

The next morning, directly after breakfast, she went down to the pier.
Count Bartahlinsky's yacht was alongside, and Gard was on deck. He
changed countenance when Beth appeared. She ran down the ladder.

"I want to see your master," she said.

"He can't see you, miss. He's given orders that he's not to be
disturbed for no one whatsoever," Gard answered with excess of
deference; "and it's as much as my billet is worth to go near him;
he's very much occupied this morning."

"Don't tell lies," said Beth. "I'm going to see him."

She went forward to the skylight as she spoke, and called down, "Below
there, Count Gustav!"

"Hello!" a voice replied. "Is that you, Beth? You know you're too big
to be on the yacht now without a chaperon."

"Rot!" said Beth.

"Don't be coarse, Beth," Count Gustav remonstrated from below in
rather a precious tone. "You know how I dislike hoyden English."

"Well, then, _nonsense_! if that's any better," Beth rejoined. "You've
got to see