She  has  accepted  old  Crane,  and  now  she's  come  here  to  meet
Arthur,  tell  him  what  she's  done,  say  she  could  not  help  it,
and  ask  him  to  forgive  her  and  make  the  best  of  it. I  shall  be
de  trap  evidently,  so  the  best  thing  I  can  do  is  to  jog  back,
again  ;  and  yet — and  yet  I  should  like  to  walk  by  her  side,
and  look  into  her  dear  blue  eyes  once  more — heigho  !  I
almost  wish  my  dream  would  come  true,  only  reversed,  and
that  I  were  the  pheasant  and  Crane  going  to  shoot  me,  though
I  should  not  be  in  much  danger,  for  the  old  muff  would  be
safe  to  miss  me. Well,  I  suppose  I'd  better  be  off — is  she
there  still?  yes,  but  what  is  she  doing — crying? — why,  by
heaven  she's  crying  as  if  her  heart  would  break!  Oh,  you
know  I  can't  stand  this,  so  it's  no  use  thinking  any  more  about
it ;  speak  to  her  I  must  and  will ! '  And,  suiting  the  action  to
the  word,  he  was  about  to  spring  forward  and  join  her,  when  it
occurred  to  him  that  it  would  only  distress  and  annoy  her  if  he
were  to  obtrude  his  presence  upon  her  when,  imagining  her-
self alone,  she  was  unrestrainedly  giving  way  to  her  grief ;  so,
with  that  tact  springing  from  innate  delicacy  of  feeling  which  pre-
vented Coverdale's  honest,  straightforward  character  from  ever
becoming  rough  or  overbearing,  he  waited  till  poor  Alice  had
dried  her  tears,  and  with  slow,  listless  footsteps  (sadly  different
from  her  usual  bounding  and  elastic  gate)  resumed  her  walk
in  the  direction  of  the  railway  station. As  soon  as  she  was
fairly  started  Harry  emerged  from  his  hiding-place,  and  followed
her  with  vigorous  strides. When  he  had  approached  within
hearing  distance,  he  endeavoured  by  various  means,  such  as


88  HARRY  COVERDALE'S  COURTSHIP

stamping  with  his  feet,  brushing  against  the  underwood  as  he
passed,  and  the  like,  to  render  her  aware  of  his  presence,  but
for  some  minutes  without  success. At  length,  however,  a
violent  onslaught  he  made  against  a  blackthorn  bush  (by  which
means  he  acquired  a  practical  knowledge  of  the  penetrating
properties  of  thorns)  attracted  her  attention,  and  with  a  start
sufficiently  violent  to  show  that  her  nervous  system  was  un-
usually excited,  she  turned  and  beheld  him. 