had collected himself "My darling," he said, "I have done wrong. I
have concealed what you ought to have known. Warrender, stop before you
speak. I married when I was a boy. I declare upon my soul that I had
every assurance the woman was dead. My clerk saw her buried, he brought
me the certificate, and her portrait, and her ring. I had no reason, no
reason at all, to doubt, I have no reason now," he said, with a sudden
recovery of courage, "except what this girl says,--who has no way of
knowing, while my information is sure. It is sure--quite sure. Chatty!
can you think I would have brought you here to--to---- The woman is
dead."

"Mr. Cavendish!" cried Lizzie loudly. "You saw her--as well as I."

He looked at her for a moment, his face grew once more gray as ashes, he
trembled where he stood. "It must have been--an illusion," he said.

Here Warrender caught Lizzie somewhat roughly by the arm. "If this
woman is here, find her," he cried peremptorily, pushing her to the door
before him. The church was still full of excited spectators whom the
vergers were endeavouring to get rid of. In the aisle stood Geoff with
some one veiled and muffled to the eyes. The boy was standing in front
of her, like a little dog who has been set to watch. She could not move
a step without a movement on his part. He gave to Warrender a sort of
invitation with a nod of his little head. "I've got her here," he said;
then whispering, "It is the lady--the lady that ran you over, that
picked me up,--the lady at the Elms."

"At the Elms!" There rushed over Theo's mind a recollection of Dick's
visit to the village, of his hurried departure, of agitation unnoticed
at the time. "I must ask you to step into the vestry," he said.

"Oh, Mr. Warrender, I know you, though you don't know me; don't ask me
to do that. What, among all those nicely dressed people, and me so!--oh
no, please do not ask me, please don't ask me! What good could I do? It
seems to me I've done harm, but I meant none. I thought I'd just come
and have a peep after hearing so much about you all, and knowing him so
long."

"Will you tell me who you are, and what is your connection with
Cavendish? Come, and let us know before his face."

"Oh, my connection with--Dear, dear! is it necessary to go into that--a
thing of an age ago? Oh, Lord, Lizzie, let me alone, will you! it's all
your doing. Why couldn't you let things alone?"

"Whatever you have to say, it had better be said befor