hip I speak of, as it is very promising."

"Oh, I am glad to hear it," said Melbury, dryly.

A pause ensued, during which the inquiring faces and whity-brown
clothes of Melbury's companions appeared in the door-way.

"Then bain't you coming home with us?" he asked.

"I--I think not," said Grace, blushing.

"H'm--very well--you are your own mistress," he returned, in tones
which seemed to assert otherwise. "Good-night;" and Melbury retreated
towards the door.

"Don't be angry, father," she said, following him a few steps. "I have
done it for the best."

"I am not angry, though it is true I have been a little misled in this.
However, good-night. I must get home along."

He left the hotel, not without relief, for to be under the eyes of
strangers while he conversed with his lost child had embarrassed him
much. His search-party, too, had looked awkward there, having rushed
to the task of investigation--some in their shirt sleeves, others in
their leather aprons, and all much stained--just as they had come from
their work of barking, and not in their Sherton marketing attire; while
Creedle, with his ropes and grapnels and air of impending tragedy, had
added melancholy to gawkiness.

"Now, neighbors," said Melbury, on joining them, "as it is getting
late, we'll leg it home again as fast as we can. I ought to tell you
that there has been some mistake--some arrangement entered into between
Mr. and Mrs. Fitzpiers which I didn't quite understand--an important
practice in the Midland counties has come to him, which made it
necessary for her to join him to-night--so she says. That's all it
was--and I'm sorry I dragged you out."

"Well," said the hollow-turner, "here be we six mile from home, and
night-time, and not a hoss or four-footed creeping thing to our name.
I say, we'll have a mossel and a drop o' summat to strengthen our
nerves afore we vamp all the way back again? My throat's as dry as a
kex. What d'ye say so's?"

They all concurred in the need for this course, and proceeded to the
antique and lampless back street, in which the red curtain of the Three
Tuns was the only radiant object. As soon as they had stumbled down
into the room Melbury ordered them to be served, when they made
themselves comfortable by the long table, and stretched out their legs
upon the herring-boned sand of the floor. Melbury himself, restless as
usual, walked to the door while he waited for them, and looked up and
down the s