lease
her, trusting to this, that there could be no intercourse by letter
between her and a workman, and they were not likely to meet again in a
hurry.

It required considerable fortitude to curb his love and jealousy, and
settle on this course. But he did conquer after a hard struggle, and
prepared to meet Miss Carden at dinner with artificial gayety.

But she did not appear; and that set Mr. Coventry thinking again.
Why should she have a headache? He had a rooted disbelief in women's
headaches. His own head had far more reason to ache, and his heart too.
He puzzled himself all dinner-time about this headache, and was very bad
company.

Soon after dinner he took a leaf out of her book, pretended headache,
and said he should like to take a turn by himself in the air.

What he really wanted to do was to watch Miss Carden's windows, for he
had all manner of ugly suspicions.

There seemed to be a strong light in the room. He could see no more.

He walked moodily up and down, very little satisfied with himself, and
at last he got ashamed of his own thoughts.

"Oh, no!" he said, "she is in her room, sure enough."

He turned his back, and strolled out into the road.

Presently he heard the rustle of a woman's dress. He stepped into the
shade of the firs directly, and his heart began to beat hard.

But it was only Jael Dence. She came out within a few yards of him.
She had something white in her hand, which, however, she instinctively
conveyed into her bosom the moment she found herself in the moonlight.
Coventry saw her do it though.

She turned to the left, and walked swiftly up the road.

Now Coventry knew nothing about this girl, except that she belonged to
a class with whom money generally goes a long way. And he now asked
himself whether it might not be well worth his while to enlist her
sympathies on his side.

While he was coming to this conclusion, Jael, who was gliding along at
a great pace, reached a turn in the road, and Mr. Coventry had to run
after her to catch her.

When he got to the turn in the road, she was just going round another
turn, having quickened her pace.

Coventry followed more leisurely. She might be going to meet her
sweetheart; and, if so, he had better talk to her on her return.

He walked on till he saw at some distance a building, with light shining
though it in a peculiar way; and now the path became very rugged and
difficult. He came to a standstill, and eyed the place wh