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Gude Lard！ What is 't she's a…done。。。？〃
It rained all the next day and the day after。 About five o'clock
yesterday the rain ceased； I started off to Kingswear on Hopgood's
nag to see Dan Treffry。 Every tree； bramble； and fern in the lanes
was dripping water； and every bird singing from the bottom of his
heart。 I thought of Pasiance all the time。 Her absence that day was
still a mystery； one never ceased asking oneself what she had done。
There are people who never grow upthey have no right to do things。
Actions have consequencesand children have no business with
consequences。
Dan was out。 I had supper at the hotel； and rode slowly home。 In
the twilight stretches of the road； where I could touch either bank
of the lane with my whip； I thought of nothing but Pasiance and her
grandfather； there was something in the half light suited to wonder
and uncertainty。 It had fallen dark before I rode into the straw…
yard。 Two young bullocks snuffled at me； a sleepy hen got up and ran
off with a tremendous shrieking。 I stabled the horse； and walked
round to the back。 It was pitch black under the apple…trees； and the
windows were all darkened。 I stood there a little； everything
smelled so delicious after the rain； suddenly I had the uncomfortable
feeling that I was being watched。 Have you ever felt like that on a
dark night？ I called out at last： 〃Is any one there？〃 Not a sound！
I walked to the gate…nothing！ The trees still dripped with tiny；
soft； hissing sounds； but that was all。 I slipped round to the
front； went in； barricaded the door； and groped up to bed。 But I
couldn't sleep。 I lay awake a long while； dozed at last； and woke
with a jump。 A stealthy murmur of smothered voices was going on
quite close somewhere。 It stopped。 A minute passed； suddenly came
the soft thud as of something falling。 I sprang out of bed and
rushed to the window。 Nothingbut in the distance something that
sounded like footsteps。 An owl hooted； then clear as crystal； but
quite low； I heard Pasiance singing in her room：
〃The apples are ripe and ready to fall。
Oh！ heigh…ho！ and ready to fall。〃
I ran to her door and knocked。
〃What is it？〃 she cried。
〃Is anything the matter？〃
〃Matter？〃
〃Is anything the matter？〃
〃Ha…ha…ha…ha！ Good…night！〃 then quite low； I heard her catch her
breath； hard； sharply。 No other answer； no other sound。
I went to bed and lay awake for hours。。。。
This evening Dan came； during supper he handed Pasiance a roll of
music； he had got it in Torquay。 The shopman； he said； had told him
that it was a 〃corker。〃
It was Bach's 〃Chaconne。〃 You should have seen her eyes shine； her
fingers actually tremble while she turned over the pages。 Seems odd
to think of her worshipping at the shrine of Bach as odd as to think
of a wild colt running of its free will into the shafts； but that's
just it with her you can never tell。 〃Heavenly！〃 she kept saying。
John Ford put down his knife and fork。
〃Heathenish stuff！〃 he muttered； and suddenly thundered out；
〃Pasiance！〃
She looked up with a start； threw the music from her； and resumed her
place。
During evening prayers； which follow every night immediately on food；
her face was a study of mutiny。 She went to bed early。 It was
rather late when we broke upfor once old Ford had been talking of
his squatter's life。 As we came out； Dan held up his hand。 A dog
was barking。 〃It's Lass；〃 he said。 〃She'll wake Pasiance。〃
The spaniel yelped furiously。 Dan ran out to stop her。 He was soon
back。
〃Somebody's been in the orchard； and gone off down to the cove。〃 He
ran on down the path。 I； too； ran； horribly uneasy。 In front；
through the darkness； came the spaniel's bark； the lights of the
coastguard station faintly showed。 I was first on the beach； the dog
came to me at once； her tail almost in her mouth from apology。 There
was the sound of oars working in rowlocks； nothing visible but the
feathery edges of the waves。 Dan said behind； 〃No use！ He's gone。〃
His voice sounded hoarse； like that of a man choking with passion。
〃George；〃 he stammered； 〃it's that blackguard。 I wish I'd put a
bullet in him。〃 Suddenly a light burned up in the darkness on the
sea； seemed to swing gently； and vanished。 Without another word we
went back up the hill。 John Ford stood at the gate motionless；
indifferentnothing had dawned on him as yet。 I whispered to Dan；
〃Let it alone！〃
〃No；〃 he said； 〃I'm going to show you。〃 He struck a match； and
slowly hunted the footsteps in the wet grass of the orchard。 〃Look
here！〃
He stopped under Pasiance's window and swayed the match over the
ground。 Clear as daylight were the marks of some one who had jumped
or fallen。 Dan held the match over his head。
〃And look there！〃 he said。 The bough of an apple…tree below the
window was broken。 He blew the match out。
I could see the whites of his eyes； like an angry animal's。
〃Drop it； Dan！〃 I said。
He turned on his heel suddenly； and stammered out； 〃You're right。〃
But he had turned into John Ford's arms。
The old man stood there like some great force； darker than the
darkness； staring up at the window； as though stupefied。 We had not
a word to say。 He seemed unconscious of our presence。 He turned
round； and left us standing there。
〃Follow him！〃 said Dan。 〃Follow himby God！ it's not safe。〃
We followed。 Bending； and treading heavily； he went upstairs。 He
struck a blow on Pasiance's door。 〃Let me in！〃 he said。 I drew Dan
into my bedroom。 The key was slowly turned； her door was flung open；
and there she stood in her dressing…gown； a candle in her hand； her
face crimson； and oh！ so young； with its short； crisp hair and round
cheeks。 The old manlike a giant in front of herraised his hands；
and laid them on her shoulders。
〃What's this？ Youyou've had a man in your room？〃
Her eyes did not drop。
〃Yes；〃 she said。 Dan gave a groan。
〃Who？〃
〃Zachary Pearse；〃 she answered in a voice like a bell。
He gave her one awful shake； dropped his hands； then raised them as
though to strike her。 She looked him in the eyes； his hands dropped；
and he too groaned。 As far as I could see； her face never moved。
〃I'm married to him；〃 she said； 〃d' you hear？ Married to him。 Go
out of my room！〃 She dropped the candle on the floor at his feet；
and slammed the door in his face。 The old man stood for a minute as
though stunned； then groped his way downstairs。
〃Dan；〃 I said； 〃is it true？〃
〃Ah！〃 he answered； 〃it's true； didn't you hear her？〃
I was glad I couldn't see his face。
〃That ends it；〃 he said at last； 〃there's the old man to think of。〃
〃What will he do？〃
〃Go to the fellow this very night。〃 He seemed to have no doubt。
Trust one man of action to know another。
I muttered something about being an outsiderwondered if there was