peak, and she resumed, after a
little indulgence in her grief.

"And since then all our aim has been to hide the truth, to screen him,
and keep up the tale that we were afraid of the wild man. How it has
been done I know not: but I do know that it has nearly killed me. What
a night it was! When Jabez heard his story and forced him to answer all
questions, I thought he would have given Willy up to the law there and
then. My lord, we have just lived since with a sword over our heads!"

Lord Hartledon remembered the sword that had been over his own head, and
sympathized with them from the depths of his heart.

"Tell me all," he said. "You are quite safe with me, Mrs. Gum."

"I don't know that there's much more to tell," she sighed. "We took the
best precautions we could, in a quiet way, having the holes in the
shutters filled up, and new locks put on the doors, lest people might
look in or step in, while he sat here of a night, which he took to do.
Jabez didn't like it, but I'm afraid I encouraged it. It was so lonely
for him, that shed, and so unhealthy! We sent away the regular servant,
and engaged one by day, so as to have the house to ourselves at night. If
a knock came to the door, Willy would slip out to the wood-house before
we opened it, lest it might be anybody coming in. He did not come in
every night--two or three times a-week; and it never was pleasant; for
Jabez would hardly open his mouth, unless it was to reproach him. Heaven
alone knows what I've had to bear!"

"But, Mrs. Gum, I cannot understand. Why could not Willy have declared
himself openly to the world?"

It was evidently a most painful question. Her eyes fell; the crimson
of shame flushed into her cheeks; and he felt sorry to have asked it.

"Spare me, my lord, for I _cannot_ tell you. Perhaps Jabez will: or Mr.
Hillary; he knows. It doesn't much matter, now death's so near; but I
think it would kill me to have to tell it."

"And no one except the doctor has ever known that it was Willy?"

"One more, my lord: Mirrable. We told her at once. I have had to hear all
sorts of cruel things said of him," continued Mrs. Gum. "That he thieved
and poached, and did I know not what; and we could only encourage the
fancy, for it put people off the truth as to how he really lived."

"Amidst other things, they said, I believe, that he was out with the
poachers the night my brother George was shot!"

"And that night, my lord, he sat over this kitchen fire