nd oh, Miss, it's running
in the face of Providence to sail at this time of the year. You'll have
dreadful weather, as sure as life.' You should have seen her, doctor!
She gave a sort of smile up at me, all flashing as if those eyes of her
were the sides of a lantern, and the light bursting out both there and
all over. 'All the better,' she says, as if she'd have liked to fight
the very wind and sea, and have her own way even there. Bless you, she's
dreadful for having her own way. A good easy gentleman now, as didn't
mind much--Dr Rider--Doctor!--you're not agoing, after all I've told
you? Doctor, doctor, I say----"

But what Mrs Smith said was inaudible to Edward Rider. The door rang in
her ears as he dashed it after him, leaving her mistress of the field.
There, where he had once left Nettie, he now, all-forgetful of his usual
fastidious dislike of gossip, left Mrs Smith sole occupant of his most
private territories. At this unlooked-for crisis the doctor had neither
a word nor a moment to spend on any one. He rushed out of the house,
oblivious of all those professional necessities which limit the comings
and goings of a doctor in great practice; he did not even know what he
was going to do. Perhaps it was an anxious husband or father whom he all
but upset as he came out, with sudden impetuosity, into the unfrequented
street; but he did not stop to see. Pale and desperate, he faced the
cold wind which rushed up between the blank garden-walls of Grange Lane.
At Mr Wodehouse's door he stumbled against young Wentworth coming out,
and passed him with a muttered exclamation which startled the curate.
All the floating momentary jealousies of the past rushed back upon the
doctor's mind as he passed that tall figure in the wintry road: how he
had snatched Nettie from the vague kindnesses of the young clergyman--the
words he had addressed to her on this very road--the answer she had
given him once, which had driven him wild with passion and resentment.
Impossible! the Australian, it appeared, had found nothing impossible in
those circumstances in which Nettie had intrenched herself. Had the
doctor's wisdom been monstrous folly, and his prudence the blindest
shortsightedness? He asked himself the question as he rushed on towards
that lighted window shining far along the dark road--the same window
which he had seen Nettie's shadow cross, which had been opened to light
poor Fred upon the way he never could tread again. Within tha