to the room. At times she would be standing on a chair
outside the house, trying to nail up a branch of the monthly rose which
the winter wind had blown down; and of course he stepped forward to
assist her, when their hands got mixed in passing the shreds and nails.
Thus they became friends again after a disagreement. She would utter on
these occasions some pretty and deprecatory remark on the necessity of
her troubling him anew; and he would straightway say that he would do a
hundred times as much for her if she should so require.

CHAPTER II--HOW HE SAW TWO OTHER MEN

Matters being in this advancing state, Stockdale was rather surprised one
cloudy evening, while sitting in his room, at hearing her speak in low
tones of expostulation to some one at the door. It was nearly dark, but
the shutters were not yet closed, nor the candles lighted; and Stockdale
was tempted to stretch his head towards the window. He saw outside the
door a young man in clothes of a whitish colour, and upon reflection
judged their wearer to be the well-built and rather handsome miller who
lived below. The miller's voice was alternately low and firm, and
sometimes it reached the level of positive entreaty; but what the words
were Stockdale could in no way hear.

Before the colloquy had ended, the minister's attention was attracted by
a second incident. Opposite Lizzy's home grew a clump of laurels,
forming a thick and permanent shade. One of the laurel boughs now
quivered against the light background of sky, and in a moment the head of
a man peered out, and remained still. He seemed to be also much
interested in the conversation at the door, and was plainly lingering
there to watch and listen. Had Stockdale stood in any other relation to
Lizzy than that of a lover, he might have gone out and investigated the
meaning of this: but being as yet but an unprivileged ally, he did
nothing more than stand up and show himself against the firelight,
whereupon the listener disappeared, and Lizzy and the miller spoke in
lower tones.

Stockdale was made so uneasy by the circumstance, that as soon as the
miller was gone, he said, 'Mrs. Newberry, are you aware that you were
watched just now, and your conversation heard?'

'When?' she said.

'When you were talking to that miller. A man was looking from the laurel-
tree as jealously as if he could have eaten you.'

She showed more concern than the trifling event seemed to demand, and he
ad