altered. She was, in
truth, somewhat stouter than in the old days, but of that he took
no special notice. Should he speak to her? Should he try to catch
her eye and then raise his hat? Should he go up to her horse's head
boldly, and ask her to let bygones be bygones? He had an idea that of
all courses which he could pursue that was the one which she would
approve the best,--which would be most efficacious for him, if with
her anything from him might have any efficacy. But he could not do
it. He did not know what words he might best use. Would it become
him humbly to sue to her for pardon? Or should he strive to express
his unaltered love by some tone of his voice? Or should he simply
ask her after her health? He made one step towards her, and he saw
that the face became more rigid and more fixed than before, and then
he desisted. He told himself that he was simply hateful to her. He
thought that he could perceive that there was no tenderness mixed
with her unabated anger.

At this moment Bernard Dale and Emily came close upon him, and
Bernard saw him at once. It was through Bernard that Lily and Crosbie
had come to know each other. He and Bernard Dale had been fast
friends in old times, and had, of course, been bitter enemies since
the day of Crosbie's treachery. They had never spoken since, though
they had often seen each other, and Dale was not at all disposed to
speak to him now. The moment that he recognised Crosbie he looked
across to his cousin. For an instant, an idea flashed across him that
he was there by her permission,--with her assent; but it required
no second glance to show him that this was not the case. "Dunn," he
said, "I think we will ride on," and he put his horse into a trot.
Siph, whose ear was very accurate, and who knew that something was
wrong, trotted on with him, and Lily, of course, was not left behind.
"Is there anything the matter?" said Emily to her lover.

"Nothing specially the matter," he replied; "but you were standing in
company with the greatest blackguard that every lived, and I thought
we had better change our ground."

"Bernard!" said Lily, flashing on him with all the fire which her
eyes could command. Then she remembered that she could not reprimand
him for the offence of such abuse in such a company; so she reined in
her horse and fell a-weeping.

Siph Dunn, with his wicked cleverness, knew the whole story at once,
remembering that he had once heard something of Crosbie ha