t, without knowing whose it was. And
since he has been here, she has certainly done nothing to compromise
herself in any way. Besides, why should she have brought an enemy here
at all?'

'Then she must have fallen in love with him. You know as well as I do,
Cyth, that with women there's nothing between the two poles of emotion
towards an interesting male acquaintance. 'Tis either love or aversion.'

They walked for a few minutes in silence, when Cytherea's eyes
accidentally fell upon her brother's feet.

'Owen,' she said, 'do you know that there is something unusual in your
manner of walking?'

'What is it like?' he asked.

'I can't quite say, except that you don't walk so regularly as you used
to.'

The woman behind the hedge, who had still continued to dog their
footsteps, made an impatient movement at this change in their
conversation, and looked at her watch again. Yet she seemed reluctant to
give over listening to them.

'Yes,' Owen returned with assumed carelessness, 'I do know it. I think
the cause of it is that mysterious pain which comes just above my ankle
sometimes. You remember the first time I had it? That day we went by
steam-packet to Lulstead Cove, when it hindered me from coming back to
you, and compelled me to sleep with the gateman we have been talking
about.'

'But is it anything serious, dear Owen?' Cytherea exclaimed, with some
alarm.

'O, nothing at all. It is sure to go off again. I never find a sign of
it when I sit in the office.'

Again their unperceived companion made a gesture of vexation, and looked
at her watch as if time were precious. But the dialogue still flowed
on upon this new subject, and showed no sign of returning to its old
channel.

Gathering up her skirt decisively she renounced all further hope, and
hurried along the ditch till she had dropped into a valley, and came to
a gate which was beyond the view of those coming behind. This she softly
opened, and came out upon the road, following it in the direction of the
railway station.

Presently she heard Owen Graye's footsteps in her rear, his quickened
pace implying that he had parted from his sister. The woman thereupon
increased her rapid walk to a run, and in a few minutes safely distanced
her fellow-traveller.

The railway at Carriford Road consisted only of a single line of rails;
and the short local down-train by which Owen was going to Budmouth was
shunted on to a siding whilst the first up-train passed.