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of the people from the village came occasionally； and the vicar
appeared two or three times every week； ostensibly to play chess
with Deede Dawson； but in reality； Dunn thought； drawn there by
Ella； who； however； seemed quite unaware of the attraction she
exercised over the good man。
Dunn did not find that he was expected to do very much work； and in
fact； he was left a good deal to himself。
Once or twice the car was taken out； and occasionally Deede Dawson
would come into the garden and chat with him idly for a few minutes
on indifferent subjects。 When it was fine he would often bring out
a little travelling set of chessmen and board and proceed to amuse
himself； working out or composing problems。
One day he called Dunn up to admire a problem he had just composed。
〃Pretty clever； eh？〃 he said； admiring his own work with much
complacence。 〃Quite an original idea of mine and I think the key
move will take some finding。 What do you say？ I suppose you do
play chess？〃
〃Only a very little；〃 answered Dunn。
〃Try a game with me；〃 said Deede Dawson； and won it easily； for in
fact； Dunn was by no means a strong player。
His swift victory appeared to delight Deede Dawson immensely。
〃A very pretty mate I brought off there against you；〃 he declared。
〃I've not often seen a prettier。 Now you try to solve that problem
of mine； it's easy enough once you hit on the key move。〃
Dunn thought to himself that there were other and more important
problems which would soon be solved if only the key move could be
discovered。
He said aloud that he would try what he could do； and Deede Dawson
promised him half a sovereign if he solved it within a week。
〃I mayn't manage it within a week；〃 said Dunn。 〃I don't say I will。
But sooner or later I shall find it out。〃
During all this time he had seen little of Ella； who appeared to
come very little into the garden and who； when she did so； avoided
him in a somewhat marked manner。
Her mother； Mrs。 Dawson； was a little faded woman； with timid eyes
and a frightened manner。 Her health did not seem to be good； and
Ella looked after her very assiduously。 That she went in deadly
fear of her husband was fairly evident； though he seemed to treat
her always with great consideration and kindness and even with a
show of affection； to which at times she responded and from which
at other times she appeared to shrink with inexplicable terror。
〃She doesn't know；〃 Dunn said to himself。 〃But she suspects
… something。〃
Ella； he still watched with the same care and secrecy； and sometimes
he seemed to see her walking amidst the flowers as an angel of
sweetness and laughing innocence； and sometimes he saw her； as it
were； with the shadow of death around her beauty； and behind her
gentle eyes and winning ways a great and horrible abyss。
Of one thing he was certain … her mind was troubled and she was not
at ease； and it was plain； also； that she feared her smiling
soft…spoken stepfather。
As the days passed； too； Dunn grew convinced that she was watching
him all the time； even when she seemed most indifferent； as closely
and as intently as he watched her。
〃All watching together；〃 Dunn thought grimly。 〃It would be simple
enough； I suppose； if one could hit on the key move； but that I
suppose no one knows but Deede Dawson himself。 One thing； he can't
very well be up to any fresh mischief while he's lounging about here
like this。 I suppose he is simply waiting his time。〃
As for the chess problem； that baffled him entirely。 He said as
much to Deede Dawson； who was very pleased； but would not tell him
what the solution was。
〃No； no； find it out for yourself；〃 he said； chuckling with a
merriment in which； for once his cold eyes seemed to take full share。
〃I'll go on trying；〃 said Dunn； and it grew to be quite a custom
between them for Deede Dawson to ask him how he was getting on
with the problem； and for Dunn to reply that he was still searching
for the key move。
Several times little errands took Dunn into the village； where；
discreetly listening to the current gossip； he learned that Mr。
John Clive of Ramsdon Place had been injured in an attack made upon
him by a gang of ferocious poachers … at least a dozen in number
… but was making good progress towards recovery。
Also； he found that Mr。 John Clive's visits to Bittermeads had not
gone unremarked； or wholly uncriticized； since there was a vague
feeling that a Mr。 Clive of Ramsdon Place ought to make a better
match。
〃But a pretty face is all a young man thinks of；〃 said the more
experienced； and on the whole； it seemed to be felt that the open
attention Clive paid to Ella was at least easily to be understood。
Almost the first visit Clive paid； when he was allowed to venture
out； was to Bittermeads； and Dunn； returning one afternoon from an
errand； found him established on the lawn in the company of Ella；
and looking little the worse for his adventure。
He and Ella seemed to be talking very animatedly； and Dunn took the
opportunity to busy himself with some gardening work not far away；
so that he could watch their behaviour。
He told himself it was necessary he should know in what relation
they stood to each other； and as he heard them chatting and
laughing together with great apparent friendliness and enjoyment；
he remembered with considerable satisfaction how he had already
broken one rib of Clive's； and he wished very much for an opportunity
to break another。
For； without knowing why； he was beginning to conceive an intense
dislike for Clive； and； also； it did not seem to him quite good
taste for Ella to sit and chat and laugh with him so readily。
〃But we were told；〃 he caught a stray remark of Ella's； 〃that it
was a gang of at least a dozen that attacked you。〃
〃No；〃 answered Clive reluctantly。 〃No； I think there was only one。
But he had a grip like a bear。〃
〃He must have been very strong；〃 remarked Ella thoughtfully。
〃I would give fifty pounds to meet him again； and have it out in
the light； when one could see what one was doing；〃 declared Clive
with great vigour。
〃Oh； you would； would you？〃 muttered Dunn to himself。 〃Well； one
of these days I may claim that fifty。〃
He looked round at Clive as he thought this； and Clive noticed him；
and said：
〃Is that a new man you've got there Miss Cayley？ Doesn't he rather
want a shave？ Where on earth did Mr。 Dawson pick him up？〃
〃Oh； he came here with the very best testimonials； and father
engaged him on the spot；〃 answered Ella； touching her wrists
thoughtfully。 〃He certainly is not very handsome； but then that
doesn't matter； does it？〃
She spoke more loudly than usual； and Dunn was certain she did so
in order that he might hear what she said。 So he had no scruple
in lingering on pretence of being busy with a rose bush； and heard
Clive say：
〃Well； if he were one of my chaps； I should tell him to put the
lawn…mower over his own face。〃
Ella laughed amusedly。
〃Oh； what an idea； Mr。 Clive；〃 she cried； and Dunn thought to himself：
〃Yes； one day I shall very certainly claim that fifty pounds。〃
CHAPTER XII
AN AVOWAL
When Clive ha