is being under a "new influence." Nor
was this all; for, on the very next day when she was out walking with
Pigott in the village, she had met George himself, and he had insisted
upon entering into a long rambling conversation with her, and on
looking at her in a way that made her feel perfectly sick.

"Oh, Aleck," she said, aloud, to the dog that was sitting by her side
with his head upon her knee, for he was now her constant companion, "I
wonder where your master is, your master and mine, Aleck. Would to God
that he were back here to protect me, for I am growing afraid, I don't
know of what, Aleck, and there are eleven long silent months to wait."
At this moment the dog raised his head, listened, and sprang round
with an angry "woof." Angela rose up with a flash of hope in her eyes,
turned, and faced George Caresfoot.

He was still pale and shrivelled from the effects of his illness, but
otherwise little changed, except that the light-blue eyes glittered
with a fierce determination, and that the features had attained that
fixity and strength which sometimes come to those who are bent heart
and soul upon an enterprise, be it good or evil.

"So I have found you out at last, Cousin Angela. What, are you not
going to shake hands with me?"

Angela touched his fingers with her own.

"My father is not here," she said.

"Thank you, my dear cousin, but I did not come to see your father, of
whom I have seen plenty in the course of my life, and shall doubtless
see more; I came to see you, of whom I can never see enough."

"I don't understand you," said Angela, defiantly, folding her arms
across her bosom and looking him full in the face with fearless eyes,
for her instinct warned her that she was in danger, and also that,
whatever she might feel, she must not show that she was afraid.

"I shall hope to make you do so before long," he replied, with a
meaning glance; "but you are not very polite, you know, you do not
offer me a seat."

"I beg your pardon, I did not know that you wanted to sit down. I can
only offer you a choice of those stones."

"Then call that brute away, and I will sit down."

"The dog is not a brute, as you mean it. But I should not speak of him
like that, if I were you. He is sensible as a human being, and might
resent it."

Angela knew that George was a coward about dogs; and at that moment,
as though to confirm her words, Aleck growled slightly.

"Ah, indeed; well, he is certainly a handsome