and the board up, you might have knocked me down with a feather.
Miss Nowell was so much liked in Lidford, and she had more than one
invitation from friends to stay with them for the sake of a change after
her uncle's death; but she would not visit anywhere. She stayed quite
alone in the cottage, with only the old servant."

"But there must surely be some one in the place who knows where she has
gone!" exclaimed Gilbert.

"I think not. The landlord of Hazel Cottage does not know. He is my
landlord also, and I was asking him about Miss Nowell when I paid my rent
the other day. He said he supposed she had gone away to be married. That
has been the general impression, in fact, at Lidford. People made sure
that Miss Nowell had left to be married to you."

"I have only just returned from Australia. I have come back to fulfil my
engagement to Miss Nowell. Can you suggest no one from whom I am likely
to obtain information?"

"There is the family at the Rectory; they knew her very well, and were
extremely kind to her after her uncle's death. It might be worth your
while to call upon Mr. Marchant."

"Yes, I will call," Gilbert answered; "thanks for the suggestion."

He wished Miss Dodd good-afternoon, and left her standing at the gate of
her little garden, watching him with profound interest as he walked away
towards the village. There was a pleasing mystery in the affair, to the
mind of Miss Dodd.

Gilbert Fenton went at once to the Rectory, although it was now past
seven o'clock. He had met Mr. and Mrs. Marchant several times, and had
visited them with the Listers.

The Rector was at home, sitting over his solitary glass of port by the
open window of his snug dining-room, looking lazily out at a group of
sons and daughters playing croquet on the lawn. He was surprised to see
Mr. Fenton, but welcomed him with much cordiality.

"I have come to you full of care, Mr. Marchant," Gilbert began; "and the
pressing nature of my business must excuse the lateness of my visit."

"There is no occasion for any excuse. I am very glad to see you at this
time. Pray help yourself to some wine, there are clean glasses near you;
and take some of those strawberries, on which my wife prides herself
amazingly. People who live in the country all their days are obliged to
give their minds to horticulture. And now, what is this care of yours,
Mr. Fenton? Nothing very serious, I hope."

"It is very serious to me at present. I think you know