t well on his
journey in the early morning; and about an hour after he was gone, I had
a fancy to go into the old ruined room again, where there was the bit of
a scene I've told you of. My orders from Captain Dyer were, to watch
Chunder strictly, both as to seeing that he did not again insult any of
the women, and also to see if he had any little game of his own that he
was playing on the sly; for though Lieutenant Leigh, on being told,
pooh-poohed it all, and advised a flogging, Captain Dyer had his
suspicions--stronger ones, it seemed, than mine; and hence my orders and
my being excused from mounting guard.

It was all very still, and cool, and quiet as I walked from room to
room, slowly and thoughtfully, stopping to pick up my broken pipe, which
lay where I had dropped it; and then going on into the next room, where,
under the window, lay the bit of cotton cobweb and cat's-cradle work
Lizzy had been doing, and had left behind. I gave a bit of a gulp as I
picked that up, and I was tucking it inside my jacket when I stopped
short, for I thought I heard a whisper.

I listened, and there it was again--a low, earnest whispering of first
one and then another voice in the next room, whose wide broken doorway
stood open, for there wasn't a bit of woodwork left.

I have heard about people saying, that in some great surprise or fright,
their hearts stood still; but I don't believe it, because it always
strikes me that when a person's heart does stand still, it never goes on
again. All the same, though, my heart felt then as if it did stand
still with the dead, dull, miserable feeling that came upon me. Only to
think that on this, the second time I had come through these ruined
rooms, and they were here again! It was plain enough Harry Lant and
Lizzy made this their meeting-place, and only they knew how many times
they'd met before.

Time back, I could have laughed at the idea of me, a great strapping
fellow, feeling as I did; but now I felt very wretched; and as I thought
of Harry Lant kissing those bright red lips, and looking into those deep
dark eyes, and being let pass his hand over the glossy hair, with the
prospect of some day calling it all his own, I did not burn all over
with a mad rage and passion, but it was like a great grief coming upon
me, so that, if it hadn't been for being a man, I could have sat down
and cried.

I should think ten minutes passed, and the whispering still went on,
when I said to mys