They were not thinking of us, not the least. Only just ere they
passed our house Ursula turned slightly round, and looked behind; a
quiet, maidenly look, with the smile still lingering on her mouth.
She saw nothing, and no one; for John had pulled me from the window,
and placed himself out of sight. So, turning back again, she went on
her way. They both disappeared.

"Now, Phineas, it is all ended."

"What do you mean?"

"I have looked on her for the last time."

"Nay--she is not going yet."

"But I am--fleeing from the devil and his angels. Hurrah, Phineas,
lad! We'll have a merry night. To-morrow I am away to Bristol, to
set sail for America."

He wrung my hands with a long, loud, half-mad laugh; and then dropped
heavily on a chair.

A few hours after, he was lying on my bed, struck down by the first
real sickness he had ever known. It was apparently a low agueish
fever, which had been much about Norton Bury since the famine of last
year. At least, so Jael said; and she was a wise doctoress, and had
cured many. He would have no one else to attend him--seemed
terrified at the mere mention of Dr. Jessop. I opposed him not at
first, for well I knew, whatever the proximate cause of his sickness
might be, its root was in that mental pang which no doctors could