what he has all along wished, that is, married you; and there's no
longer reason for enmity atween him and me.'

'Trew--trew. Well, as I am going the same way, I can give you a lift
in the trap, for the distance is long.'

'No thank you--I am used to walking,' she said.

They remained in silence, the gate between them, till Jim's
convictions would apparently allow him to hold his peace no longer.
'This is a bad job!' he murmured.

'It is,' she said, as one whose thoughts have only too readily been
identified. 'How I came to agree to it is more than I can tell!'
And tears began rolling down her cheeks.

'The blame is more mine than yours, I suppose,' he returned. 'I
ought to have said No, and not backed up the gentleman in carrying
out this scheme. 'Twas his own notion entirely, as perhaps you know.
I should never have thought of such a plan; but he said you'd be
willing, and that it would be all right; and I was too ready to
believe him.'

'The thing is, how to remedy it,' said she bitterly. 'I believe, of
course, in your promise to keep this private, and not to trouble me
by calling.'

'Certainly,' said Jim. 'I don't want to trouble you. As for that,
why, my dear Mrs. Hayward--'