to take the child's hand.
The little fingers nestled confidingly in her palm.

"Will you say good-bye, Martha?" asked the Professor, stooping to kiss
her. Martha drew away, and struck her father a sturdy blow on the face.
She had apparently a vague idea that he had been unkind to her
protectress, and that he was an enemy.

"Oh, cruel, cruel! What if I don't bring her any more toys?" Martha
threatened tears.

"Will you allow us to pass?" said Hadria. The Professor stood aside, and
the two went, hand in hand, down the narrow path, and through the wicket
gate out of the churchyard. Hadria carried still the drooping yellow
heartsease that the little girl had given her.

CHAPTER XLVI.

Professor Theobald made his confession to Lady Engleton on that same
night, when he also announced that he found it suddenly necessary to
return to town.

It was some time before she recovered from her astonishment and horror.
He told his story quietly, and without an effort to excuse himself.

"Of course, though I can't exonerate you, Professor, I blame her more
than you," she said finally, "for her standard in the matter was so
different from your's--you being a man."

The Professor suppressed a smile. It always seemed strange to him that a
woman should be harder on her own sex than on his, but he had no
intention of discouraging this lack of _esprit de corps_; it had its
obvious conveniences.

"Did she confess everything to her aunt after her return from
Portsmouth?" asked Lady Engleton.

"Yes; I have that letter now."

"In which your name is mentioned?"

"In which my name is mentioned. I sent money to the girl, but she
returned it. She said that she hated me, and would not touch it. So I
gave the money to the aunt, and told her to send it on, in her own name,
to Ellen, for the child's support. Of course I made secrecy a condition.
So as a matter of fact, I have acknowledged the child, though not
publicly, and I have contributed to its support from its birth."

"But I thought Mrs. Temperley had been supporting it!" cried Lady
Engleton.

"Nevertheless I have continued to send the money to the aunt. If Mrs.
Temperley chose to take charge of the child, I certainly had nothing to
complain of. And I could not openly contribute without declaring
myself."

"Dear me, it is all very strange! What would Hadria say if she knew?"

"She does know."

"What, all along?"

"No, since yesterday."

"And how does she take it