r
Chris might have proceeded unchallenged. But a little public vehicle
would be returning just then from the railway station. That the runaway
knew, and therefore selected another path.

In her pocket was all the money that she had; in her heart was a sort of
alloyed sorrow. Two thoughts shared her mind after she had decided upon
a course of action. She wondered how quickly Tim would learn to call her
"mother," for that was the only sweet word life still held; yet of the
child's father she did not think, for her mind, without special act of
volition, turned and turned again to him upon whom the Indian summer of
her love had descended.

CHAPTER IX

UNDER COSDON BEACON

Beneath a region where the "newtakes" straggle up Cosdon's eastern flank
and mark a struggle between man and the giant beacon, Chris Blanchard
rested a while upon the grass by the highway. Tim, wrapped in a shawl,
slept soundly beside his mother, and she sat with her elbows on her
knees and one hand under her chin. It was already dusk; dark mist
wreaths moved upon the Moor, and oncoming night winds sighed of rain.
Then a moment before her intended departure from this most solitary spot
she heard footsteps upon the road. Not interested to learn anything of
the passer-by, Chris remained with her eyes upon the ground, but the
footsteps stopped suddenly before her, whereupon she looked up and saw
Martin Grimbal.

After a perambulation of twenty miles he had now set his face homewards,
and thus the meeting was accomplished. Utmost constraint at first marked
the expression of both man and woman, and it was left for Martin to
break the silence, for Chris only started at seeing him, but said
nothing. Her mind, however, ranged actively upon the reason of Grimbal's
sudden appearance, and she did not at first believe it accidental.

"Why, my dear, what is this? You have wandered far afield!"

He addressed her in unnatural tones, for surprise and emotion sent his
voice up into his head, and it came thin and tremulous as a woman's.
Even as he spoke Martin feared. From the knowledge gleaned by him that
morning he suspected the meaning of this action, and thought that Chris
was running away.

And she, at the same moment, divined that he guessed the truth in so far
as the present position was concerned. Still she did not speak, and he
grew calmer and took her silence as an admission.

"You're going away from Chagford? Is it wise?"

"Ess, Martin, 'tis