day," said Charles; "on Saturday I shall come back
here in the afternoon, and if you have come to my terms by that time you
can cough after I do. I shall have the money on me. If you make any
attempt to write or speak to your sister, I shall take care to hear of
it, and you need not expect me on Saturday. That is the last remark I
have to make, so good-afternoon;" and, without waiting for a reply,
Charles walked away, conscious that Raymond would not dare either to
call or run after him.

He walked slowly along the grass-grown road that led into the
carriage-drive, and was about to let himself out of the grounds by a
crazy gate, which rather took away from the usefulness of the large iron
locked ones at the lodge, when he perceived an old man with a pail of
water fumbling at it. He did not turn as Charles drew near, and even
when the latter came up with him, and said "Good-afternoon," he made no
sign. Charles watched him groping for the hasp, and, when he had got the
gate open, feel about for the pail of water, which when he found he
struck against the gate-post as he carried it through. Charles looked
after the old man as he shambled off in the direction of the lodge.

"Blind and deaf! He'll tell no tales, at any rate," he said to himself.
"Raymond is in luck there."

It had turned very cold; and, suddenly remembering that his absence
might be noticed, he set off through the woods to Slumberleigh at a good
pace. His nearest way took him through the church-yard and across the
adjoining high-road, on the farther side of which stood the little
red-faced lodge, which belonged to the great new red-faced seat of the
Thursbys at a short distance. He came rapidly round the corner of the
old church tower, and was already swinging down the worn sandstone steps
which led into the road, when he saw below him at the foot of the steps
a little group of people standing talking. It was Mr. Alwynn and Ruth
and Dare, who had evidently met them on his return from shooting, and
who, standing at ease with one elegantly gaitered leg on the lowest
step, and a cartridge-bag slung over his shoulders in a way that had
aroused Charles's indignation earlier in the day, was recounting to
them, with vivid action of the hands on an imaginary gun, his own
performances to right and left at some particularly hot corner.

Mr. Alwynn was listening with a benignant smile. Charles saw that Ruth
was leaning heavily against the low stone-wall. Before he h