see him. Never mind explanations: let
us think what we can best do to lighten his last hours."

Mrs. Gum burst into deeper tears. It was a relief, no doubt: but she
wondered how much Lord Hartledon knew.

"I say that he ought to be got away from that place, Mrs. Gum. It's not
fit for a man to die in. You might have him here. Calne! Surely my
protection will sufficiently screen him against tattling Calne!"

She shook her head, saying it was of no use talking to Willy about
removal; he wouldn't have it; and she thought herself it might be better
not. Jabez, too; if this ever came out in Calne, it would just kill him;
his lordship knew what he was, and how he had cared for appearances all
his life. No; it would not be for many more hours now, and Willy must die
in the shed where he had lived.

Lord Hartledon sat down on the ironing-board, the white table underneath
the window, in the old familiar manner of former days; many and many a
time had he perched himself there to talk to her when he was young Val
Elster.

"Only fancy what my life has been, my lord," she said. "People have
called me nervous and timid; but look at the cause I've had! I was just
beginning to get over the grief for his death, when he came here; and to
the last hour of my life I shan't get the night out of my mind! I and
Jabez were together in this very kitchen. I had come in to wash up the
tea-things, and Jabez followed me. It was a cold, dark evening, and the
parlour fire had got low. By token, my lord, we were talking of you; you
had just gone away to be an ambassador, or something, and then we spoke
of the wild, strange, black man who had crept into the shed; and Jabez,
I remember, said he should acquaint Mr. Marris, if the fellow did not
take himself off. I had seen him that very evening, at dusk, for the
first time, when his great black face rose up against mine, nearly
frightening me to death. Jabez was angry at such a man's being there, and
said he should go up to Hartledon in the morning and see the steward.
Just then there came a tap at the kitchen door, and Jabez went to it.
It was the man; he had watched the servant out, and knew we were alone;
and he came into the kitchen, and asked if we did not know him. Jabez
did; he had seen Willy later than I had, and he recognized him; and the
man took off his black hair and great black whiskers, and I saw it was
Willy, and nearly fainted dead away."

There was a pause. Lord Hartledon did not s