Year: 1875

point and alone; the man had probably
gone up the bank as he had come down.
They could not have been more than
quarter of an hour together.


AS she came back fronting my nook,
looking very pale and resolute, got up
in her absorbed state, doubt whether 9TH
erwise she would have noticed me at all.
She colored up like fire mot the beautiful
blush of girl, but the painful outward
effect of some vehement emotion.
"Charlia,"I said, chow can you de-
ceive those good people, who trust you
SO entirelyP Dear, you owe them some
thing better, surely, for all these years of
affection. l should not have thought you
would meet Captain Roberts underhand ?"


She fired up for moment. and then
burst into flood of most bitter tears, and
wrung her hands passionately but said
nothing.


"You must tell them where you have
been, Charlia," said, sadly. as we paced
slowly on, "or must do it.''
She.turned Oh me like a wild animal,
and then broke down again. sobbing pitt
fully as she said, "Do you say it; do you
say it."


You must be there, then, and promise
them that you will never do this again. l
cannot satisfy them." said /, at my wits
end


Promise l will not do this again ?" she
moaned, in strange low, questioning
tone. almost inaudible.


81 cannot undertake this for you," re-
peated l.


We came out on the open beach and
then on the road, and walked home side by
side without uttering another word.


went straight into the body of the
house. My own courage was beginning to
fail at facing the stern old father and the
loving mother with the story. but l
thought l might help poor Charlia in what
seemed her hard strife with herself.


"Mr. Davies" said, in rather trem-
bling voice. "Charlia has been meeting
Captain Roberts under the cliffs. She is
very sorry. and"


l could get no further, for the old mans
outbreak Of anger was terrible to see. He
came of a hot tempered race, passionate
when reused, and the storm Of violent
words. in what was to me foreign Ian
guage. quite frightened me. But Charlia
stood by perfectly still and silent and un-
moved, though she was as pale as DEATH
| am not sure that she even heard the
words; she was simply bracing herself up
to endure. Mrs. Davies entreated me in
a low voice to leave the room-she was
very proud Of her husband, and could not
bear that | should see him "out of him
self" l was very wretched, and stood
about with my door open, till in few
minutes Charlia rushed past me up to her
| room.


"Is there nothing can be done ?" whis-
pered to her mother, who came to the foot
| . tas, 10Al r.,
Davies could give her hopes for the future,
supposing Captain Roberts is steady; il
he could but let her have something to
look forward to-"


She shook her head sadly. Fathers
one who is so set if once he's made up his
mind. But must try later on" said she
signing.


There was no singing that night, and as
appeared again into her own cell.


The next day was a busy one to ME.
The only acquaintance had anywhere in
visit when | LETT the place. was to start
next day, drive across country half the
way, and be met by their horses. 1t was
of cold rain at intervals-the brief Etc de





quite time to be gone. The sky was grey.
the sea was grey, the mountains were
| blotted as with a veil, except where q
spectral outline appeared occasionally
high mp, as il among the clouds. The lit
tie ships, passing and at anchor, all
loomed black through the mist-the bulls,
the rigging, the sails, which looked so
bright in the sunshine, all now took the
same funeral hue in the grey autumn
weather.


AN the final bits of business-the pack
ing. the paying of small bills, which can
not be persuaded to come in till the last
moment, the tiresome odds and ends
which take so much time-occupied me
all day. | had to go into the town once
or twice, and could not help feeling to
what forlorn winter was leaving poor
Charla, and began to devise plans Of send
ing for her later to join me, and give
some sort of diversion to her thoughts.
She had never been near me all the morn
ing, although twice l had sent to ask
whether she could not come up. Once
she was '.just going out on an errand,"
and another time she just chad got her
gown off, and altogether saw that she
intended to avoid me. l had done my
best for the poor girl as far as knew
how, and had cared for her very much,
which was more, and her evident feeling
against me grieyed me sorely.


1t was growing dusk-I sent down my
letters for the post. and heard Charlia's
voice downstairs say that she would take
them to the office herself. Presently /
saw her with shawl over her brown hat
pass towards the town.


1t was quite dark, and a couple Of hours
perhaps after this, when heard hustle
in the house, and Mrs. Davies came hur-
riedly in to ask me whether had seen or
heard anything of Charlia. "She had not
been home since she went to the post"
she said, miserably. Her father was evil
IDENTIFY beginning to be alarmed as to the
possible consequences Of the outbreak OF
the night before. and was going out to in
quire about her; and then she looked into
my face piteously for comfort and coun-
sell ~.


1t all flashed upon me--the quiet little
bay open to the sea and the ship, where
there were half dozen places from which