wicked generation by op the d at length the road touched the spot called hand of all the spots on the and desolate this was the most forlorn it was so far removed from the charm which is sought in landscape by artists and view lovers as to reach a new kind of beauty a negative beauty of tragic tone the place took its name from a stone pillar which stood there a strange rude from a unknown in any local on whidi was roughly carved a hand were given of its history and some authorities stated that a cross had once formed the complete of which the present was but the stump others that the stone as it stood was entire and that it had been fixed there to mark a boundary or place of meeting anyhow whatever the origin of the there was and is something sinister or solemn according to mood in the scene amid which it stands something tending to impress the most by i think i must leave you now he remarked as they drew near to this spot i have to preach at s at six this evening and my way lies across to the right from here and you upset me somewhat too � i cannot will not say why i must go away and get strength how is it that you speak so now who has taught you such good english i have things in my troubles she said what troubles have you had she told him of the first one � the only one that related to him d was struck mute i knew nothing of this till now he next murmured why didn t you write to me when you felt your trouble coming on she did not reply and he broke the silence by adding well � you will see me again by the convert no she answered do not again come near me i will think but before we part here he stepped up to the pillar this was once a holy cross relics are not in my creed but i fear you at moments � far more than you need fear me at present and to lessen my fear put your hand upon that stone hand and swear that you will never tempt me � by your charms or ways good god � how can you ask what is so unnecessary all that is from my thought yes � but swear it half frightened gave way to his placed her hand upon the stone and swore i am sorry you are not a he continued that some should have got hold of and unsettled your mind but no more now at home at least i can pray for you and i will and who knows what may not happen i m off good bye he turned to a hunting gate in the hedge and without letting his eyes again rest upon her over and strode out across the down in the direction of s as he walked his pace showed and by and by as if by a former thought he drew from his pocket a small book between the leaves of which was folded a letter worn and soiled as from much d c the letter it was dated several months before this time and was signed by parson the letter began by expressing the writer s joy at d s and thanked him for his kindness in communicating with the parson on the subject it expressed mr s warm assurance of forgiveness for d s former conduct and his interest in the man s plans for the future he mr would much have liked to see d in the to whose he had devoted so many years of his own life and would have him to enter a college to that by of the d end but since his correspondent had possibly not cared to do this on of the delay it would have he was not the man to insist upon its importance every man must work as he could best work and in the method towards which he felt impelled by the spirit d read and this letter and seemed to himself he also read some passages from as he walked till his face assumed a calm and apparently the image of no longer troubled his mind she meanwhile had kept along the edge of the hill by which lay her nearest way home within the distance of a mile she met a solitary shepherd what is the meaning of that old stone i have passed she asked of him was it ever a holy cross cross � no not a cross tis a thing of ill omen miss it was put up in times by the relations of a who was tortured there by his hand to a post and afterwards hung the bones lie underneath they say he sold his soul to the devil and that he walks at times c he felt the mortal this unexpectedly information and left the solitary man her it was dusk when she drew near to ash and in the lane at the entrance to the hamlet she approached a girl and her lover without their observing her they were talking no secrets and the dear voice of the young woman in response to the warmer accents of the man spread into the chilly air as the one soothing thing within the du horizon full of a obscurity upon i i a nothing else for a moment the voices cheered the heart of tiu she reasoned that this interview had its origin on one side or the other in the same attraction which had been the to her own when she came close the girl turned serenely and recognized her the young man walking by the convert off in embarrassment the woman was whose interest in s her own proceedings did not explain very dearly 