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 sunken eyes dwelt on her. 'I have seen him when you did not know. It was not only when you sent him to me on the island. I have seen him at the Manoir;—at night, once; alone. And this morning, after you and I were in the woods—he came. And we were together in the garden; we walked there together, for a long time.'

'Yes, I know. I wanted you to see him. You remember what I said this morning, Marthe; even this morning, when I did not understand as I do now. I knew that you and he must see each other. I knew that everything must come quite clear between you, when you saw each other.'

'Quite clear?' A look of incomprehension drew Marthe's brows to a knot of suffering.

'Marthe, my darling, you and Dick belong to each other. That's what's clear now—to all of us. You and he are never going to part,' said Jill.

All this time Marthe had rested upon Jill's shoulders while they leaned against the wall; now she drew her arms away. 'What do you mean?' she asked.

'What I say, Marthe. I am going to set Dick free,' said Jill.

As she heard the words, Marthe's face took on a look of terror. 'You believe that I am going to take your husband from you?'

'But, Marthe—you have taken him from me,' Jill said, oddly grimacing so that her tears should not flow down. 'Or, rather—for you've done nothing—he's taken himself from me and given himself to you.'