offered for his apprehension; and with this new fright, I thought I had better hurry off Fred to London, where, as you would understand from what we said the other night, he was to go to consult Mr. Lennox as to his chances if he stood trial. So we⁠—that is, he and I⁠—went to the railway station; it was one evening, and it was just getting rather dusk, but still light enough to recognize and be recognized, and we were too early, and went out to walk in a field just close by; I was always in a panic about this Leonards, who was, I knew, somewhere in the neighbourhood; and then, when we were in the field, the low red sunlight just in my face, someone came by on horseback in the road just below the field-style on which we stood.⁠—I saw him look at me, but I did not know who it was at first, the sun was so in my eyes, but in an instant the dazzle went off, and I saw it was Mr. Thornton, and we bowed⁠—”

“And he saw Frederick of course,” said Mr. Bell, helping her on with her story, as he thought.

“Yes; and then at the station a man came up⁠—tipsy and reeling⁠—and he tried to collar Fred, and overbalanced himself as Fred wrenched himself away, and fell over the hedge of the platform; not far, not deep; not above three feet; but oh! Mr. Bell, somehow that fall killed him!”

“How awkward. It was this Leonards, I suppose. And how did Fred get off?”

“Oh! he went off immediately after the fall, which we never thought could have done the poor fellow any harm, it seemed so slight an injury.”

“Then he did not die directly?”

“No! not for two or three days. And then⁠—oh, Mr. Bell! now comes the bad part,” said she, nervously twining her fingers together. “A police inspector came and taxed me with having been a companion of the young man, whose push or blow had occasioned Leonards’ death; that was a false accusation, you know, but we had not heard that Fred had sailed, he might still be in London and liable to be arrested on this false charge, and his identity with the Lieutenant Hale, accused of causing the mutiny, discovered, he might be shot; all this flashed through my mind, and I said it was not me. I was not at the railway station that night. I knew nothing about it. I had no conscience or thought but to save Frederick.”

“I say it was right. I should have done the same. You forgot yourself in thought for another. I hope I should have done the same.”

“No, you would not. It was wrong, disobedient, faithless. At that very time Fred was safely out of England, and in my blindness I forgot that there was another witness who could testify to my being there.”

“Who?”

Mr. Thornton. You know he had seen me close to the station; we had bowed to each other.”

“Well! he would know nothing of this riot, about the drunken fellow’s death. I suppose the injury never came to anything.”

“No! the proceedings they had begun to talk about on the inquest were stopped. Mr. Thornton did know all about it. He was a magistrate, and he found out that it was not the fall that had caused the death. But not before he knew what I had said. Oh, Mr. Bell!” She suddenly covered her face with her hands, as if wishing to hide herself from the presence of the recollection.

“Did you have any explanation with him? Did you ever tell him the strong, instinctive motive?”

“The instinctive want of faith, and clutching at a sin to keep myself from sinking,” said she bitterly. “No! How could I? He knew nothing of Frederick. To put myself to rights in his good opinion, was I to tell him the secrets of our family, involving, as they seemed to do, the chances of poor Frederick’s entire exculpation? Fred’s last words had been to enjoin me to keep his visit a secret from all. You see, papa never told, even you. No! I could bear the shame⁠—I thought I could at least. I did bear it. Mr. Thornton has never respected me since.”

“He respects you, I am sure,” said Mr. Bell. “To be sure it accounts a little for⁠—. But he always speaks of you with regard and esteem, though now I understand certain reservations in his manner.”

Margaret did not speak; did not attend to what Mr. Bell had to say; lost all sense of it. By-and-by she said:

“Will you tell me what you refer to about ‘reservations’ in his manner of speaking to me?”

“Oh! simply he has annoyed me by not joining in my praises of you. Like an old fool, I thought that everyone would have the same opinion as I had; and he evidently could not agree with me. I was puzzled at the time. But he must be perplexed, if the affair has never been in the least explained. There was first your walking out with a young man in the dark⁠—”

“But it was my brother!” said Margaret, surprised.

“True. But how was he to know that?”

“I don’t know. I never thought anything of that kind,” said Margaret, reddening, and looking hurt and offended.

“And perhaps he never would, but for the lie⁠—which, under the circumstances, I maintain, was necessary.”

“It was not. I know it now. I bitterly repent it.”

There was a long pause of silence. Margaret was the first to speak.

“I am not likely ever to see Mr. Thornton again,”⁠—and there she stopped.

“There are many things more unlikely, I should say,” replied Mr. Bell.

“But I believe I never shall. Still, somehow one does not like to have sunk so low in⁠—in a friend’s opinion as I have done in his.” Her eyes were full of tears, but her voice was steady, and Mr. Bell was not looking at her. “And now that Frederick has given up all hope, and almost all

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