t.
"I've done everything for the best; I've as good as told her how fond
of her I am, and this is the way she treats me!" He stopped, and stood
looking absently at the sinking sun, and the fast-darkening waters
of the Mere. Some inscrutable influence in the scene forced its way
stealthily into his mind, and diverted his thoughts from Miss Milroy to
his absent friend. He started, and looked about him.

The reed-cutters had gone back to their retreat behind the angle of the
wall, not a living creature was visible, not a sound rose anywhere along
the dreary shore. Even Allan's spirits began to get depressed. It was
nearly an hour after the time when Midwinter had promised to be at Hurle
Mere. He had himself arranged to walk to the pool (with a stable-boy
from Thorpe Ambrose as his guide), by lanes and footpaths which
shortened the distance by the road. The boy knew the country well, and
Midwinter was habitually punctual at all his appointments. Had anything
gone wrong at Thorpe Ambrose? Had some accident happened on the way?
Determined to remain no longer doubting and idling by himself, Allan
made up his mind to walk inland from the Mere, on the chance of meeting
his friend. He went round at once to the angle in the wall, and asked
one of the reedcutters to show him the footpath to Thorpe Ambrose.

The man led him away from the road, and pointed to a barely perceptible
break in the outer trees of the plantation. After pausing for one more
useless look around him, Allan turned his back on the Mere and made for
the trees.

For a few paces, the path ran straight through the plantation. Thence it
took a sudden turn; and the water and the open country became both lost
to view. Allan steadily followed the grassy track before him, seeing
nothing and hearing nothing, until he came to another winding of the
path. Turning in the new direction, he saw dimly a human figure sitting
alone at the foot of one of the trees. Two steps nearer were enough
to make the figure familiar to him. "Midwinter!" he exclaimed, in
astonishment. "This is not the place where I was to meet you! What are
you waiting for here?"

Midwinter rose, without answering. The evening dimness among the trees,
which obscured his face, made his silence doubly perplexing.

Allan went on eagerly questioning him. "Did you come here by yourself?"
he asked. "I thought the boy was to guide you?"

This time Midwinter answered. "When we got as far as these trees," he
sai