ill be too late; the earth must be dug away now."

She clasped her hands under her shawl, resolved to make one effort
more--a respite must be found--for a day, at least.

She looked out toward the tree--the lower part of it was hidden, where
they stood, by a thicket of shrubs and bushes, but the stately top
towered up dark and solemn, waving in the morning breeze and seeming to
whisper an omen of dread to her half maddened senses.

"Not to-day," she exclaimed; "at least do not touch it to-day."

His suspicious mind, so wildly on the alert since the strange events of
the past week, was now fully aroused by the singular earnestness and
trouble of her manner.

There was another secret! It was no desire to contradict him which
actuated her--there was something at the bottom which he could not
understand--a new phase of the mystery with which he had felt himself
surrounded from the first moment of his arrival, and which had gathered
and darkened so rapidly during the past week.

"Leave the tree at least to-day," pleaded Elizabeth.

"I can't send for Jarvis and put him off without a reason," he said; "he
has plenty of work on his hands."

"It can't make no difference, Miss Mellen," the old man joined in;
"'tain't no use to put it off--anyhow I couldn't come again till the
last of the week."

"Let it go till then," she said, eagerly; and new life stole over her
face at the bare hope of obtaining that delay.

"This is sheer folly," said her husband. "Go in--go in. You will catch
cold--the grass is damp. Come, Jarvis, get your spade."

"It won't hurt the tree a spec, Miss Mellen," said he; "don't feel
oneasy about it--I'll be as tender of it as if it was a baby."

He moved away as he spoke, and left the husband and wife together.
Elizabeth was pale even through her artificial bloom--no matter what he
thought, she must obtain some delay.

"Grantley," she cried, "don't touch the tree--I ask it as a favor--you
will not refuse--let it stand as it is."

He gave one look at her face and turned his head away to hide the
expression of anger and doubt which crept over his own.

"Can you give any reason?"

"No, no! It is one of my fancies--only gratify it--let the tree alone
for a day or two at least."

Fierce passion shook Mellen like a sudden tempest. His first impulse was
to drag her into the house and force from her lips the secret and the
mystery which surrounded her, but he controlled the impulse and
answered: