It was a strange position, but neither of the two felt this to the fall;

Mr. Thomasson in his thankfulness that at any cost he had eluded Mr.

Dunborough's vengeance, Julia because at the moment she cared not what

became of her. Naturally, however, Mr. Thomasson, whose satisfaction

knew no drawback save that of their present condition, and who had to

congratulate himself on a risk safely run, and a good friend gained, was

the first to speak.

'My dear young lady,' he said, in an insinuating tone very different

from that in which he had called for her kerchief, 'I vow I am more

thankful than I can say, that I was able to come to your assistance! I

shudder to think what those ruffians might not have done had you been

alone, and--and unprotected! Now I trust all danger is over. We have

only to find a house in which we can pass the night, and to-morrow we

may laugh at our troubles!' She turned her head towards him, 'Laugh?' she said, and a sob took her

in the throat.

He felt himself set back; then remembered the delusion under which she

lay, and went to dispel it--pompously. But his evil angel was at his

shoulder; again at the last moment he hesitated. Something in the

despondency of the girl's figure, in the hopelessness of her tone, in

the intensity of the grief that choked her utterance, wrought with the

remembrance of her beauty and her disorder in the coach, to set his

crafty mind working in a new direction. He saw that she was for the time

utterly hopeless; utterly heedless what became of herself. That would

not last; but his cunning told him that with returning sensibility would

come pique, resentment, the desire to be avenged. In such a case one man

was sometimes as good as another. It was impossible to say what she

might not do or be induced to do, if full advantage were taken of a

moment so exceptional. Fifty thousand pounds! And her fresh young

beauty! What an opening it was! The way lay far from clear, the means

were to find; but faint heart never won fair lady, and Mr. Thomasson had

known strange things come to pass.

He was quick to choose his part. 'Come, child,' he said, assuming a kind

of paternal authority. 'At least we must find a roof. We cannot spend

the night here.' 'No,' she said dully, 'I suppose not.' 'So--shall we go this way?' 'As you please,' she answered.

They started, but had not moved far along the miry road before she spoke

again. 'Do you know,' she asked drearily, 'why they set us down?' He was puzzled himself as to that, but, 'They may have thought that the

pursuit was gaining on them,' he answered, 'and become alarmed.' Which

was in part the truth; though Mr. Dunborough's failure to appear at the

rendezvous had been the main factor in determining the men.




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