a rare well-built 'un," said Burt, as he stepped back from the
window. "It is the ugliest job as ever I was on."

"But we can rely upon you?" Girdlestone asked, looking at him with
puckered eyes.

"You bet--as long as you pay me," the navvy answered phlegmatically, and
went back to his pipe and to Mrs. Jorrocks' bottle of Hollands.

CHAPTER XLIII.

THE BAIT ON THE HOOK.

The grey winter evening was beginning to steal in before the details had
all been arranged by the conspirators. It had grown so chill that Kate
had abandoned her attempt at gardening, and had gone back to her room.
Ezra left his father and Burt by the fire and came out to the open
hall-door. The grim old trees looked gaunt and eerie as they waved
their naked arms about in the cutting wind. A slight fog had come up
from the sea and lay in light wreaths over the upper branches, like a
thin veil of gauze. Ezra was shivering as he surveyed the dreary scene,
when he felt a hand on his arm, and looking round saw that the maid
Rebecca was standing beside him.

"Haven't you got one word for me?" she said sadly, looking up into his
face. "It's but once a week, and then never a word of greeting."

"I didn't see you, my lass," Ezra answered. "How does the Priory suit
you?"

"One place is the same as another to me," she said drearily. "You asked
me to come here, and I have come. You said once that you would let me
know how I could serve you down here. When am I to know?"

"Why, there's no secret about that. You do serve me when you look after
my father as you have done these weeks back. That old woman isn't fit
to manage the whole place by herself."

"That wasn't what you meant, though," said the girl, looking at him with
questioning eyes. "I remember your face now as you spoke the words.
You have something on your mind, and have now, only you keep it to
yourself. Why won't you trust me with it?"

"Don't be a fool!" answered Ezra curtly. "I have a great deal to worry
me in business matters. Much good it would do telling you about them!"

"It's more than that," said Rebecca doggedly. "Who is that man who has
come down?"

"A business man from London. He has come to consult my father about
money matters. Any more questions you would like to ask?"

"I should like to know how long we are to be kept down here, and what
the meaning of it all may be."

"We are going back before the end of the winter, and the meaning of it
is that