hild."

And having made this little point, Bartley walked away to escape further
comment, and Hope turned on his heel and walked into his office, and out
at the back door directly, and proceeded to his duties in the mine; but
he was much displeased with Bartley, and his looks showed it.

The coast lay clear. The lovers came cautiously out, and silently too,
for what they had heard puzzled them not a little.

Mary came out first, and wore a very meditative look. She did not say a
word till they got to some little distance from the workshop. Then she
half turned her head toward Walter, who was behind her, and said, "I
suppose you know we have done a contemptible thing--listening?"

"Well," said Walter, "it wasn't good form; but," added he, "we could
hardly help it."

"Of course not," said Mary. "We have been guilty of a concealment that
drives us into holes and corners, and all manner of meannesses must be
expected to follow. Well, we _have_ listened, and I am very glad of it;
for it is plain we are not the only people who have got secrets. Now
tell me, please, what does it all mean?"

"Well, Mary," said Walter, "to tell the truth, it is all Greek to
me, except about the money. I think I could give a guess where that
came from."

"There, now!" cried Mary; "that is so like you gentlemen.
Money--money--money! Never mind the money part; leave that to take care
of itself. Can you explain what Mr. Hope said to papa about _me_? Mr.
Hope is a very superior man, and papa's adviser _in business_. But, after
all, he is in papa's employment. Papa _pays_ him. Then how comes he to
care more about my happiness than papa does--and say so?"

"Why, you begged him to intercede."

"Yes," said Mary, "but not to threaten papa; not to say, 'If you are
unkind to Mary, our compact is broken.'"

Then she pondered awhile; then she turned to Walter, and said:

"What sort of compact is that? A compact between a father and another
gentleman that a father shall not be unkind to his own daughter? Did you
ever hear of such a thing?"

"I can't say I ever did."

"Did you ever hear tell of such a thing?"

"Well, now you put it to me, I don't think I ever did."

"And yet you could run off about money. What's money! This compact is a
great mystery. It's my business from this hour to fathom that mystery.
Please let me think."

Mary's face now began to show great power and intensity; her eyes seemed
to veil themselves, and to turn down thei