fragmentary woodwork, lay a mass of dry netting--a whole sein. Upon
this they scrambled and sat down, through inability to stand upright.



1. V. A CHARGE

The rain fell upon the keel of the old lerret like corn thrown in
handfuls by some colossal sower, and darkness set in to its full shade.

They crouched so close to each other that he could feel her furs
against him. Neither had spoken since they left the roadway till she
said, with attempted unconcern: 'This is unfortunate.'

He admitted that it was, and found, after a few further remarks had
passed, that she certainly had been weeping, there being a suppressed
gasp of passionateness in her utterance now and then.

'It is more unfortunate for you, perhaps, than for me,' he said, 'and I
am very sorry that it should be so.'

She replied nothing to this, and he added that it was rather a desolate
place for a woman, alone and afoot. He hoped nothing serious had
happened to drag her out at such an untoward time.

At first she seemed not at all disposed to show any candour on her own
affairs, and he was left to conjecture as to her history and name, and
how she could possibly have known him. But, as the rain gave not the
least sign of cessation, he observed: 'I think we shall have to go
back.'