of her. Perhaps a hint would be enough to
induce her to share a secret with him, when she understood what his
suspicions pointed to.

'Totty--'

'Yes, you frighten me. What is it?'

'Have you seen Thyrza Trent lately?'

'Why?'

She tried to read his face through the darkness. Her yesterday's
conversation with Thyrza was vivid in her mind. Suspicion was irritated
at the sound of Thyrza's name on Luke's tongue.

'Totty, I want to ask you something.' He spoke with deepest
earnestness, taking her hand. 'You won't keep anything from me, now? I
want to know if Thyrza has talked to you about--about her marriage.'

'Why do you want to know that?' the girl asked, in a hard voice.

'I'll speak plainer, Totty. Be a good girl, Totty dear! Tell me what I
want to know! Has she ever said anything to make you think that--that
she liked any one better than Grail?'

What a coil was here! She had pulled her hand away, furious with him
for his shamelessness. Yet self-respect did not allow her to speak
vehemently.

'It seems to me,' she said, 'you'd better go and ask her.'

He hung in doubt. Totty added, with more show of feeling:

'Thyrza Trent's a little fool. You may tell her I said so, if you like.
If you know all about it, what do you come bothering me for at this
time o' night? I'm not going to be mixed up in such things, so I tell
you! And there's an end of it!'

She left him. He stood and saw her re-enter the house.

Then is was true. 'If you know all about it,' ... 'I'm not going to
be mixed up in such things.' ... Totty had been told, either by
Thyrza herself or by someone already spreading the story. The story was
true.

He was struck with weakness. Sweat broke out from all his body. Nothing
he had ever heard had seemed to him so terrible. A girl like Thyrza! He
had held her honesty as sure as the rising of day out of night.

Half an hour later he sat in his bedroom writing:

'Dear Miss Trent,--I want very much to see you. I will wait in
Kennington Road, opposite the end of your street, from eight o'clock
to-morrow night (Wednesday). Please do come. I _must_ see you, and I
wish no one to know of our meeting. 'Yours truly,

'LUKE ACKROYD.'

He addressed this to Lydia, 'Miss Lydia Trent,' that there might be no
mistake, and went out to post it. But at the letter-box he altered his
intention. If it was delivered by the postman, Thyrza would see it; it
would lead to questionings.

He determined to deliv