some further last moment for thinking, she walked round, up among the rocks, instead of going straight to the cottage; and for a moment though the air was sharp with frost she sat upon the stone where she had been seated when her Cousin Will blurted out the misfortune of his heart.  She sat there on purpose that she might think of him, and recall his figure, and the tones of his voice, and the look of his eyes, and the gesture of his face.  What a man he was so tender, yet so strong; so thoughtful of others, and yet so self- sufficient!  She had, unconsciously, imputed to him one fault, that he had loved and then forgotten his love unconsciously, for she had tried to think that this was a virtue rather than a fault but now with a full knowledge of what she was doing, but without any intention of doing it she acquitted him of that one fault.  Now that she could acquit him, she owned that it would have been a fault.  To have loved, and so soon to have forgotten it!  No; he had loved her truly, and alas! he was one who could not be made to forget it.  Then she went on to the cottage, exercising her thoughts rather on the contrast between the two men than on the subject to which she should have applied them.

‘So you have come at last!’ said Mrs Askerton.  ’Till I got your message I thought there was to be some dreadful misfortune.’

‘What misfortune?’

’Something dreadful!  One often anticipates something very bad without exactly knowing what.  At least, I do.  I am always expecting a catastrophe when I am alone that is and then I am so often alone.’

‘That simply means low spirits, I suppose?’

‘It’s more than that, my dear.’

‘Not much more, I take it.’

’Once when we were in India we lived close to the powder magazine, and we were always expecting to be blown up.  You never lived near a powder magazine.’

’No, never unless there’s one at Belton.  But I should have thought that was exciting.’

’And then there was the gentleman who always had the sword hanging over him by the horse’s hair.’

‘What do you mean, Mrs Askerton?’

’Don’t look so innocent, Clara.  You know what I mean.  What were the results at last of your cousin’s diligence as a detective officer?’

’Mrs Askerton, you wrong my cousin greatly.  He never once mentioned your name while he was with us.  He did not make a single allusion to you, or to Colonel Askerton, or to the cottage.’

‘He did not?’

‘Never once.’

’Then I beg his pardon.  But not the less has he been busy making inquiries.’

’But why should you say that there is a powder magazine, or a sword hanging over your head?’

‘Ah, why?’