d, I knew that I must write
_this_. There's no more to be said, dear. You will go abroad without
me--at all events for the present.'

'If that is your resolve,' answered the other, quietly, 'I shall keep
my word, and only do what I can to aid it.' She sat down shielding her
eyes from the sunlight with a Japanese fan. 'After all, Sidwell,
there's much to be said for a purpose formed on such a morning as this;
one can't help distrusting the midnight.'

Sidwell was lying back in a low chair, her eyes turned to the woody
hills on the far side of the Exe.

'There's one thing I should like to say,' her friend pursued. 'It
struck me as curious that you were not at all affected, by what to me
would have been the one insuperable difficulty.'

'I know what you mean--the legacy.'

'Yes. It still seems to you of no significance?'

'Of very little,' Sidwell answered wearily, letting her eyelids droop.

'Then we won't talk about it. From the higher point of view, I believe
you are right; but--still let it rest.'

In the afternoon, Sidwell penned the following lines which she enclosed
in an envelope and placed on the study table, when her father was
absent.

'The long letter which I promised you, dear father, is needless. I have
to-day sent Mr. Peak a reply which closes our correspondence. I am sure
he will not write again; if he were to do so, I should not answer.

'I have given up my intention of going away with Sylvia. Later,
perhaps, I shall wish to join her somewhere on the Continent, but by
that time you will be in no concern about me.'

To this Mr. Warricombe replied only with the joyous smile which greeted
his daughter at their next meeting. Mrs. Warricombe remained in
ignorance of the ominous shadow which had passed over her house. At
present, she was greatly interested in the coming marriage of the Rev.
Bruno Chilvers, whom she tried _not_ to forgive for having disappointed
her secret hope.

Martin had finally driven into the background those uneasy
questionings, which at one time it seemed likely that Godwin Peak would
rather accentuate than silence. With Sidwell, he could never again
touch on such topics. If he were still conscious of a postponed debate,
the adjournment was _sine die_. Martin rested in the faith that,
without effort of his own, the mysteries of life and time would ere
long be revealed to him.

CHAPTER III

Earwaker spent Christmas with his relatives at Kingsmill. His father
and mot