I've seen
the boy. Do command silence from both of them. I'm very angry and very
distressed, but really nothing can be done till we hear him. My
sympathy is entirely with Sabina. Let her go on with her life for a day
or two and--"

"She's changed her life and left the Mill. I understand Raymond told her
to do so."

"That is a good sign, I suppose. If she's done that, the whole affair
must soon be known. But we talk in the dark."

Mr. Churchouse departed, forgot his anxieties in a second-hand book shop
and presently returned home.

But he saw nothing of Raymond on the way; and Miss Ironsyde waited in
vain for her nephew's arrival. He did not come, and her letter, instead
of bringing him immediately as she expected, led to a very different
course of action on his part.

For, taken with Sabina's refusal to see him, he guessed correctly at
what had inspired it. Sabina had threatened more than once in the past
to visit Miss Ironsyde and he had forbidden her to do so. Now he knew
from her mother why she had gone, and while not surprised, he clutched
at the incident and very quickly worked it into a tremendous grievance
against the unlucky girl. His intelligence told him that he could not
fairly resent her attempt to win a powerful friend at this crisis in her
fortunes; but his own inclinations and growing passion for liberty
fastened on it and made him see a possible vantage point. He worked
himself up into a false indignation. He knew it was false, yet he
persevered in it, as though it were real, and acted as though it were
real.

He tore up his aunt's letter and ignored it.

Instead of going to Bridport, he went to his office and worked as usual.

At dinner time he expected Sabina, but she did not come and he heard
from Mr. Best that she was not at the works.

"She came in here and gave notice on Saturday afternoon," said the
foreman, shortly, and turned away from Raymond even as he spoke.

Then the young man remembered that he had bade Sabina do this. His
anger increased, for now everybody must soon hear of what had happened.

In a sort of subconscious way he felt glad, despite his irritation, at
the turn of events, for they might reconcile him with his conscience and
help to save the situation in the long run.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE LOVERS' GROVE

A little matter now kindled a great fire, and a woman's reasonable
irritation, which he had himself created, produced for Raymond Ironsyde
a very comple