Jasper Pennington in the lane outside
Betsey Fraddam's house last night?"

"I don't believe it; we've got rid of him effectually. But we must hurry
on, Nick, we've just time to get to Granfer Fraddam's path before the
tide gets in."

"Yes, it's a good way on. Isn't Granfer Fraddam's Cave here somewhere?"

"I've my doubts whether there is such a place. There may have been such
a cave in the old man's time, but lots of ground has fallen in during
the past fifty years. Anyhow, I've often searched along the coast and
could never find it."

"But it's around here that the noises have been heard. You know people
say it's haunted by the old man's ghost."

"Well, I've never been able to find it."

They hurried on, and I gave a sigh of relief.

"Are they gone?" asked Naomi.

"Yes, they are gone; they don't know anything. It will take them a long
while to get home. It's a long way to Pennington by Granfer Fraddam's
path. The cliff is steep, too."

"But I must go now," she said, anxiously.

"You shall get home before they can," I said, eagerly.

"I will take you through another opening. You will know another secret
of this cave then. You see, I trust you wholly, and you will know my
hiding-place almost as well as I know it myself."

"But do you live here?"

Then I told her what I had to do, and how Eli Fraddam brought food to
me, and how when winter came I should have to make other plans.

She listened quietly, and said no word, but allowed me to lead her up
the cave until we reached the copse of which I have spoken. We were
still hidden from sight, for the bushes grew thick, and the trees were
large and had abundant foliage. She held out her hand to say good-bye.

"I shall remember your kindness," she said.

"And do not think too hardly about me," I pleaded, "remember what I have
had to suffer."

"I shall think of you very kindly," was her response; "not that it
matters to you," she added. "We are strangers, most probably we shall
never meet again, and the opinion of a stranger cannot help you."

"It is more than you can think," I answered, eagerly. "When I saw that
look of sympathy on your face when I stood in the pillory at Falmouth it
made everything easier to bear. Besides, you say you will stay at
Pennington, and I look upon Pennington as my home."

"Yes; but surely you will not stay here. It cannot be right for a man to
idle away his time as you are idling it; besides, you can never win back
Penningto