public capacity of
postmaster. This mark of respect would be expected from him, and
people would wonder if he did not pay it. Then he left the parlor, and
again spoke to Mary.

Mavis, listening, heard him give orders that an unused camp bedstead
should be brought down from the clerk's room and made up in the
kitchen. He told Mary that he wished to sleep by himself because he
felt twinges of rheumatism and was afraid of disturbing the mistress
if the pain came on during the night. And Mavis noticed that all the
time that he was talking to Mary his voice sounded perfectly natural.

Then he went down-stairs, speaking again when he was half-way down.

"How goes it, Miss Yorke? Is Mr. Ridgett in the office?"

And this time it was absolutely his old voice--rather loud, rather
authoritative, but really quite cheerful.

Thinking of his manner to her and his manner to others, she believed
that she could now understand all that he intended. She was to be held
in disgrace perhaps for a long time, but appearances were to be kept
up. No breath of scandal was to tarnish the reputation of the
Rodchurch postmaster; the curious world must not be allowed the very
slightest peep behind the scenes of his private life; and she, without
explicit instructions, was to assist in preventing any one--even poor
humble Mary--from guessing that as husband and wife they were not as
heretofore on the best possible terms.

Down below in the sorting-room Dale greeted Mr. Ridgett very heartily.

"Here I am. May I venture to come in a minute? I'm only a visitor till
Monday, you know." And he told Ridgett how he had taken a liberty in
returning before the stipulated date; but he had written to
headquarters explaining the circumstances, and he had no doubt they
would approve. "There's the funeral, you know. Though I suppose that
won't be till Tuesday or even Wednesday. But there's the inquest. And
I felt it like a duty to attend that too."

"Yes, I suppose this is a bit of a blow to you--knowing him so long.
Your good lady was mightily upset."

"So she had cause to be," said Dale gravely.

"He'd always shown himself a real friend?"

"The best friend anybody ever had," said Dale with impressive
earnestness. Then, going, he returned to speak in a confidential
whisper close to Mr. Ridgett's ear. "It was he who did the trick for
me up there. But for _him_, I was to be hoofed out of this, as sure as
eggs."

"Really! Well, I'll tell you frankly, I