the
impossibility, as it seemed to him, of letting her go further alone, the
boorishness of calling after her--all this constrained him to follow. He
ran to make his communication gently, and, as he ran, courage to make it
failed him. He thought of her as delicately accustomed to incessant
protection. At the thought of letting her know that she was telling her
thoughts to a stranger, that she was alone at such hour and place with
him, his throat swelled. He hated to speak words that would be so
hateful to her; and when he came by her side breathless, and she spoke
to him again, he walked on, waiting till she should stop, trying to
formulate what he had to say, listening and watching intently for some
sign of the recreant. Again speaking as though she must unburden her
mind, she turned into the lane. Over its fences he peered down the dark
main road, but neither in flash nor interval could the other man be
seen. He had not the slightest notion what the lady was saying now;
lofty philosophy or practical sarcasm it might be, it was all lost in
his exaggerated idea of what her fear and dismay would be when he spoke.

Before he had a chance to speak, however, he saw, in dark outline, the
building of the farm to which he supposed her to be going. It would be a
thousand times better to conduct her in silence to the door, which was
now so near. To tell her before could serve no end, for even if she
should wish to return to seek her late companion she could there obtain
an escort. So, with feeling of guiltiness in the part he was acting, and
in the surly silence he assumed, Alec let her lead up the lane she must
know better than he. Her previous speeches, which he had followed so
closely, were only remembered now to give food for conjecture as to who
she might be and what relation she held to her late companion. The
interest in his own journey and its extraordinary object were lost for
the time in the excitement of his knight-errantry.

He was astonished to see that the house, as they neared it, showed no
sign of life and light. The lady, whether inmate or guest, must surely
be expected; but the very roofs of the house and huge barns seemed to
droop in slumber, so black was the whole place and closely shut. Alec
was looking out for the house gate in order to step forward and open it,
when, to his utter surprise, he saw that the lady with haste passed it,
and went on toward the hill.

He stopped with hand on the gate and calle