s hand, finally he put it on, out of the way.

"Will you, Sergeant?"

"Since you ask me--Miss Anthea mam--I will."

"Give it into his own hand."

"Miss Anthea mam--I will."

"Thank you!--here it is, Sergeant." And so she turned, and was gone,
leaving the Sergeant staring down at the letter in his hand, and shaking
his head over it.

Anthea walked on hastily, never looking behind, and so, coming back to
the house, threw herself down by the open window, and stared out with
unseeing eyes at the roses nodding slumberous heads in the
gentle breeze.

So the irrevocable step was taken! She had given her promise to marry
Cassilis whenever he would, and must abide by it! Too late now, any hope
of retreat, she had deliberately chosen her course, and must follow
it--to the end.

"Begging your pardon, Miss Anthea mam--!"

She started, and glancing round, espied Adam.

"Oh!--you startled me, Adam,--what is it?"

"Begging your pardon, Miss Anthea, but is it true as Mr. Belloo be gone
away--for good?"

"Yes, Adam."

"Why then all I can say is--as I'm sorry,--ah! mortal sorry I be, an' my
'eart, mam, my 'eart likewise gloomy."

"Were you so--fond of him, Adam?"

"Well, Miss Anthea,--considering as he were--the best, good-naturedest,
properest kind o' gentleman as ever was; when I tell you as over an'
above all this, he could use his fists better than any man as ever I
see,--him having knocked me into a dry ditch, though, to be sure I
likewise drawed his claret,--begging your pardon, I'm sure, Miss Anthea;
all of which happened on account o' me finding him a-sleeping in your
'ay, mam;--when I tell you furthermore, as he treated me ever as a man,
an' wern't noways above shaking my 'and, or smoking a pipe wi'
me--sociable like; when I tell you as he were the finest gentleman, and
properest man as ever I knowed, or heard tell on,--why, I think as the
word 'fond' be about the size of it, Miss Anthea mam!" saying which,
Adam nodded several times, and bestowed an emphatic backhanded knock to
the crown of his hat.

"You used to sit together very often--under the big apple tree, didn't
you, Adam?"

"Ah!--many an' many a night, Miss Anthea."

"Did he--ever tell you--much of his--life, Adam?"

"Why yes, Miss Anthea,--told me summat about his travels, told me as
he'd shot lions, an' tigers--away out in India, an' Africa."

"Did he ever mention--"

"Well, Miss Anthea?" said he enquiringly, seeing she had paused.

"Did