" returned Jan. "That's what you
saw. I am surprised at you, Dan Duff. I should have thought you more of
a man."

Whether the reproof overcame Master Duff's nerves again, or the
remembrance of the "dead man," certain it was, that he relapsed into a
state which rendered it imprudent, in Jan's opinion, to continue for the
present the questioning. One more only he put--for a sudden thought
crossed him, which induced it.

"Was it in the copse at Verner's Pride?"

"'Twas at the Willow Pool; he was a-walking round it. Oh-o-o-o-o-oh!"

Jan's momentary fear was dispelled. A night or two back there had been a
slight affray between Lionel's gamekeeper and some poachers: and the
natural doubts arose whether anything fresh of the same nature had taken
place. If so, Dan Duff might have come upon one of them lying, dead or
wounded. The words--"walking round the pool"--did away with this. For
the present, Jan departed.

But, if Dan's organs of disclosure are for the present in abeyance,
there's no reason why we should not find out what we can for ourselves.
You may be very sure that Deerham would not fail to do it.

The French madmizel--as Mrs. Duff styled her, meaning, of course,
Mademoiselle Benoite--had called in at Mrs. Duff's shop and made a
purchase. It consisted--if you are curious to know--of pins and needles,
and a staylace. Not a parcel that would have weighed her down,
certainly, had she borne it herself; but it pleased her to demand that
Dan should carry it for her. This she did, partly to display her own
consequence, chiefly that she might have a companion home, for
Mademoiselle Benoite did not relish the walk alone by moonlight to
Verner's Pride. Of course young Dan was at the beck and call of Mrs.
Duff's customers, that being, as mademoiselle herself might have said,
his _specialite_. Whether a customer bought a parcel that would have
filled a van, or one that might have gone inside a penny thimble, Master
Dan was equally expected to be in readiness to carry the purchase to its
destination at night, if called upon. Master Dan's days being connected
now with the brick-fields, where his _specialite_ appeared to be, to put
layers of clay upon his clothes.

Accordingly, Dan started with Mademoiselle Benoite. She had been making'
purchases at other places, which she had brought away with her--shoes,
stationery, and various things, all of which were handed over to the
porter, Dan. They arrived at Verner's Pride in saf