look she bestowed on others. The school offended, the children
irritated his conception of his own rights. He was as thoroughly
unreasonable and Denas as thoroughly contradictory as was necessary
for the most tantalising of love affairs.

About the beginning of the summer, just before the pilchard season,
Jacob Trenager died. He was a Pentrath man, and of course "went home"
for his burying. It did not seem an event likely to affect the lives
of Tris and Denas, and yet it did have a very pleasant influence upon
their future. In some far-back generation a Trenager had saved the
life of an Arundel, and ever since, when any adult of one family was
buried an adult of the other threw the first earth upon the coffin, in
token of their remembrance and of their friendship. Mr. Arundel was
aware of the tradition, and he desired to perpetuate it. He was,
perhaps, actuated by some religious respect for the customs and
feelings of his ancestors; he was, undoubtedly, considerate of the
fact that he had just bought a valuable estate in the midst of these
old clannish fisher-folk, and well aware that such a trifling
concession to their prejudices might in a future Parliamentary
struggle be of preponderating value to him.

So, in accord with his expressed desire, Trenager's funeral was
observed with all the ancient ceremonies. His mates from the numerous
villages around carried him all the way on his bier to Pentrath;
carried him by the sea-shore, singing hymns as they went. A great
crowd of men and women were in the procession, and the old church at
Pentrath was full to overflowing. Jacob's forefathers for centuries
back lay in Pentrath church-yard, and there were old people living in
the town who remembered Jacob casting the first earth on the present
Mr. Arundel's father's coffin, and who wondered whether the son would
do the same kindness for the fisherman.

The day after Jacob's death it was noticed in St. Penfer that a
strange gentleman called upon Denas, and that Denas went up the
cliff-breast with him and remained in the church town for the greater
part of the day. And for the next two days the same thing occurred.
Probably John and Joan knew the meaning of these visits, but they
said nothing in response to the numerous "I wonders" of their
acquaintances. However, on the day of the funeral the secret was
made evident. The strange gentleman was the organist of Pentrath
church, and his visit to Denas was made to induce her to s