made up my mind that I should like my engagement to Giles to
continue, for the present at any rate, till I can see further what
I ought to do."

Melbury looked much surprised.

"Nonsense," he said, sharply. "You don't know what you are
talking about. Look here."

He handed across to her the letter received from Giles.

She read it, and said no more. Could he have seen her write on
the wall? She did not know. Fate, it seemed, would have it this
way, and there was nothing to do but to acquiesce.

It was a few hours after this that Winterborne, who, curiously
enough, had NOT perceived Grace writing, was clearing away the
tree from the front of South's late dwelling. He saw Marty
standing in her door-way, a slim figure in meagre black, almost
without womanly contours as yet. He went up to her and said,
"Marty, why did you write that on my wall last night? It WAS you,
you know."

"Because it was the truth. I didn't mean to let it stay, Mr.
Winterborne; but when I was going to rub it out you came, and I
was obliged to run off."

"Having prophesied one thing, why did you alter it to another?
Your predictions can't be worth much."