noisy house, and I found it impossible
to get to sleep for some time.

When my room-fellow awoke me at about six o'clock the following morning,
the sun was shining brightly into the shabby room, so that this promised
excellently for the day's tramp. I said my prayers, and having washed,
dressed, and partaken of a somewhat scanty breakfast, wondering, as I
ate, what had by this time become of Patch, I set out, at a little after
half-past seven, in the direction of Hazleton.

Presently, passing through a village, which seemed to be on the outskirts
of the town of Hazleton, I bought two penny sausage rolls at a small
baker's shop, and asked for a glass of water. As I walked on, eating the
rolls, it soon became evident that the town was close at hand. At
intervals I passed large houses, standing in their own grounds, and
carefully I read the names on their gate-posts, lest one should be
Colebrook Park. The path, which had been almost indistinguishable from
the roadway, was now asphalted, and I stopped to read a notice board
concerning vagrants, wondering whether I ought to be reckoned under that
denomination. I do not know whether the sun had affected me--for it
shone with brilliant force that morning--or whether I was tired after my
ten miles' walk without much food, but as I drew near to Hazleton, which
I had formerly felt so anxious to reach, my usual spirits seemed to
forsake me, and, if it had not been for the necessity to return the
locket, I think I should have passed on my way without making the least
attempt to see Jacintha again.

I seemed to have lost pride in myself, so that it became difficult to
keep up much hope. Perhaps it might be possible to get the locket safely
into Jacintha's hands without seeing her, especially if there happened
to be a lodge at the entrance to Colebrook Park, when I might leave the
trinket with the lodge-keeper.

With the object of making up my mind, I lay down on the wide border of
grass on one side of the road, thankful for the shelter of the hedge. It
was about half-past twelve, and several carriages passed as I lay there,
as well as a few bicyclists. But now the straight, wide road was clear;
no one was in sight, either to the right or to the left, until, from a
gate a hundred yards away, in the direction of the town, a girl on a
bicycle came forth, and I knew at once that she must be Jacintha.

She wore a wide-brimmed, white straw hat, and a white cotton frock, and
was sitti