seen that she was standing stolidly, not taking part in what was before
her, but that her white face, which never coloured prettily like other
women's, bore now a deepening tint, as if some pale torturing flame were
lapping about her; there was something on her face that suggested the
quivering of flames.

In a few minutes she went back into the bar-room.

"Mr. Hutchins," she said, and here followed a request, that was almost a
command, that he should attend to something needing his oversight in the
stable-yard.

Hutchins grumbled, apologised to Bates; but Eliza stood still, and he
went. She continued to stand, and her attitude, her forbidding air, the
whole atmosphere of her presence, was such that the two men who were on
the eve of departure went some minutes before they otherwise would have
done, though perhaps they hardly knew why they went.

"Mr. Bates! You're awfully angry with me, Mr. Bates, I'm afraid."

He got up out of his chair, in his petty vanity trying to stand before
her as if he were a strong man. "Angry!" he echoed, for he did not know
what he said.

"Yes, you're angry; I know by the way you looked at me," she complained
sullenly. "You think I'm not fit to look at, or to speak to, and--"

They stood together in the common bar-room. Except for the gay array of
bottles behind the bar the place was perfectly bare, and it was open on
all sides. She did not look out of door or windows to see who might be
staring at them, but he did. He had it so fixed in his faithful heart
that he must not compromise her, that he was in a tremor lest she should
betray herself. He leaned on the back of his chair, breathing hard, and
striving to appear easy.

"No, but I'm thinking, Sissy--"

"You're dreadfully ill, Mr. Bates, I'm afraid."

"No, but I was thinking, Sissy, I must see ye again before I go. I've
that to say to ye that must be said before I go home."

"Home!" She repeated the word like the word of a familiar language she
had not heard for long. "Are you going home?"

"Where will ye see me?" he urged.

"Anywhere you like," she said listlessly, and then added with sudden
determination, "I'll come."

"Hoots!" he said, "_where_ will ye come?"

"Where?" she said, looking at him keenly as if to gauge his strength or
weakness. "You're not fit to be much on your feet."

"Can you come in the bush at the back of the college? It would be
little harm for you to speak to me there. When can ye come?"

"To-