an's
presence at Fellside had been passed in safety, and that her pupil was
unscathed. She had kept a close watch on the two, as in duty bound. She
knew that Hammond was in love with Lesbia; but she thought Lesbia was
heart-whole.

Mr. Hammond came back with a shabby little book in his hand and
established himself comfortably in one of the two Beaconsfield chairs.

He opened his book at that group of short poems called Heimkehr, and
read here and there, as fancy led him. Sometimes the strain was a
love-song, brief, passionate as the cry of a soul in pain; sometimes the
verses were bitter and cynical; sometimes full of tenderest simplicity,
telling of childhood, and youth and purity; sometimes dark with hidden
meanings, grim, awful, cold with the chilling breath of the
charnel-house. Sometimes Lesbia's heart beat a little faster as Mr.
Hammond read, for it seemed as if it was he who was speaking to her, and
not the dead poet.

An hour or more passed in this way. Fraeulein Mueller was charmed at
hearing some of her favourite poems, asking now for this little bit, and
anon for another, and expatiating upon the merits of German poets in
general, and Heine in particular, in the pauses of the lecture. She was
quite carried away by her delight in the poet, and was so entirely
uplifted to the ideal world that, when a footman came with a message
from Lady Maulevrier requesting her presence, she tripped gaily off at
once, without a thought of danger in leaving those two together on the
lawn. She had been a faithful watch-dog up to this point; but she was
now lulled into a false sense of security by the idea that the time of
peril was all but ended.

So she left them; but could she have looked hack two minutes afterwards
she would have perceived the unwisdom of that act.

No sooner had the Fraeulein turned the corner of the shrubbery than
Hammond laid aside his book and drew nearer Lesbia, who sat looking
downward, with her eyes upon the delicate piece of fancy work which had
occupied her fingers all the morning.

'Lesbia, this is my last day at Fellside, and you and I may never have a
minute alone together again while I am here. Will you come for a little
walk with me on the Fell? There is something I must say to you before I
go.'

Lesbia's delicate cheek grew a shade more pale. Instinct told her what
was coming, though never mortal man had spoken to her of love. Nor until
now had Mr. Hammond ever addressed her by her Ch