aken his spontaneity out of
him, and Mr. Torkingham was afraid that his lordship was getting bored.
But this did not appear to be the case; for though he said little he
stayed on some time longer, examining the construction of the dome after
relinquishing the telescope; while occasionally Swithin caught the eyes
of the Bishop fixed hard on him.

'Perhaps he sees some likeness of my father in me,' the young man
thought; and the party making ready to leave at this time he conducted
them to the bottom of the tower.

Swithin was not prepared for what followed their descent. All were
standing at the foot of the staircase. The astronomer, lantern in hand,
offered to show them the way out of the plantation, to which Mr.
Torkingham replied that he knew the way very well, and would not trouble
his young friend. He strode forward with the words, and Louis followed
him, after waiting a moment and finding that the Bishop would not take
the precedence. The latter and Swithin were thus left together for one
moment, whereupon the Bishop turned.

'Mr. St. Cleeve,' he said in a strange voice, 'I should like to speak to
you privately, before I leave, to-morrow morning. Can you meet me--let
me see--in the churchyard, at half-past ten o'clock?'

'O yes, my lord, certainly,' said Swithin. And before he had recovered
from his surprise the Bishop had joined the others in the shades of the
plantation.

Swithin immediately opened the door of the hut, and scanned the nook
behind the bed. As he had expected his bird had flown.

XXVII

All night the astronomer's mind was on the stretch with curiosity as to
what the Bishop could wish to say to him. A dozen conjectures entered
his brain, to be abandoned in turn as unlikely. That which finally
seemed the most plausible was that the Bishop, having become interested
in his pursuits, and entertaining friendly recollections of his father,
was going to ask if he could do anything to help him on in the profession
he had chosen. Should this be the case, thought the suddenly sanguine
youth, it would seem like an encouragement to that spirit of firmness
which had led him to reject his late uncle's offer because it involved
the renunciation of Lady Constantine.

At last he fell asleep; and when he awoke it was so late that the hour
was ready to solve what conjecture could not. After a hurried breakfast
he paced across the fields, entering the churchyard by the south gate
precisely at