Instead of returning to the house he went along the ridge till he
arrived at the verge of Chillington Wood, and in the same desultory
manner roamed under the trees, not pausing till he had come to Three-
Walks-End, and the hollow elm hard by. He peeped in at the rift. In
the soft dry layer of touch-wood that floored the hollow Margery's
tracks were still visible, as she had made them there when dressing
for the ball.

'Little Margery!' murmured the Baron.

In a moment he thought better of this mood, and turned to go home.
But behold, a form stood behind him--that of the girl whose name had
been on his lips.

She was in utter confusion. 'I--I--did not know you were here, sir!'
she began. 'I was out for a little walk.' She could get no further;
her eyes filled with tears. That spice of wilfulness, even hardness,
which characterized her in Jim's company, magically disappeared in
the presence of the Baron.

'Never mind, never mind,' said he, masking under a severe manner
whatever he felt. 'The meeting is awkward, and ought not to have
occurred, especially if as I suppose, you are shortly to be married
to James Hayward. But it cannot be helped now. You had no idea I
was here, of course. Neither had I of seeing you. Remember you
cannot be too careful,' continued the Baron, in the same grave tone;
'and I strongly request you as a friend to do your utmost to avoid
meetings like this. When you saw me before I turned, why did you not
go away?'