--that is, from the time she
had been left alone with Tamsin and Mrs. Crantock. She had been taken
from the cottage to the carriage, and although to a degree forced, she
had been treated kindly. Indeed, she had not been long there before I
came with her father. Then I asked her concerning him, what she thought
of him, and whether he had not brought her great joy.

"Everything seems so strange, Jasper," she said. "I had never dreamed of
such a thing, you know; and sometimes I can hardly believe it is true."

"And is he not kind to you?"

"Oh, very kind, and he has made me love him. He has had so much sorrow,
such a terrible past, you know; and he is now so gentle, so loving, that
I cannot help pitying him and loving him. And yet I cannot understand
him. He must know that the Tresidders are my enemies, and yet he insists
on my staying at Pennington; he knows I hate Nick Tresidder, and yet he
encourages him in the thought that I shall wed him."

"But you never will?" I cried.

"How can I, Jasper?" she answered.

"And if the worst comes to the worst," I said, "you will come to me, and
we will fly together."

She did not speak, but she lifted her eyes to mine, and I saw them
become dim with tears.

Then she told me that her father had spent days with men of business,
but he had never told her one word as to what he had done. Indeed, the
Tresidders had seemed to be disappointed at his having so many private
interviews with lawyers, although they made much of him, especially
Richard Tresidder's mother, who seemed to mould him at her will.

"If he is in her power, all hope is gone," I said sadly; and yet hope
was not gone, for had she not told me that she would never go to the
altar with Nick Tresidder?

Then I asked her how she had come to me that day instead of her father,
for up to now my joy had been so great at being with her, that I had
forgotten that it was not her that I had expected to see.

"That, too, is strange," she answered. "He gave this letter to a servant
in my hearing, and bade him take it to you; so I asked the man to give
it to me, and he made no objection."

I puzzled greatly at this, and I could think of no answer to the puzzle,
save that Naomi must have won the servant's heart, as she won all
hearts. Or, perhaps, he knew what it was to love, and had guessed her
secret.

I opened the letter, and this was what I read:

"_Will Jasper Pennington meet John Penryn, Lawyer Trefy, and the family