ust be admitted, by her own interests. Poor little
Jane had been nurtured in a hard school, and had by this time learned
the necessity of looking out for herself. This truth, united with her
shrewd, matter-of-fact mind, led her to do the most sensible thing
under the circumstances. "I know a lot now that he'll be glad to know,
and if I tell him everything he'll keep me always. The first thing
he'll want to know is what's become of that threatenin' scamp," and she
followed Ferguson with the stealth of an Indian.

Ferguson was not only a scamp, but, like most of his class, a coward.
He had been bitterly disappointed in his interview with Alida. As far
as his selfish nature permitted, he had a genuine affection for her,
and he had thought of little else besides her evident fondness for him.
He was so devoid of moral principle that he could not comprehend a
nature like hers, and had scarcely believed it possible that she would
repulse him so inflexibly. She had always been so gentle, yielding,
and subservient to his wishes that he had thought that, having been
assured of his wife's death, a little persuasion and perhaps a few
threats would induce her to follow him, for he could not imagine her
becoming attached to such a man as Holcroft had been described to be.
Her uncompromising principle had entered but slightly into his
calculations, and so, under the spur of anger and selfishness, he had
easily entered upon a game of bluff He knew well enough that he had no
claim upon Alida, yet it was in harmony with his false heart to try to
make her think so. He had no serious intention of harming Holcroft--he
would be afraid to attempt this--but if he could so work on Alida's
fears as to induce her to leave her husband, he believed that the
future would be full of possibilities. At any rate, he would find his
revenge in making Alida and Holcroft all the trouble possible. Even in
the excitement of the interview, however, he realized that he was
playing a dangerous game, and when Jane answered so readily to Alida's
call he was not a little disturbed. Satisfied that he had accomplished
all that he could hope for at present, his purpose now was to get back
to town unobserved and await developments. He therefore walked rapidly
down the lane and pursued the road for a short distance until he came
to an old, disused lane, leading up the hillside into a grove where he
had concealed a horse and buggy. Unless there should be necess