observe them. If you see her, you will accost and stop her, and call
aloud for me; I shall be in hearing. I will go back to the high part of
the ground yonder--it seems to me that she must pass that way; and I would
desire, if possible, to save her from the humiliation, the--the shame of
coming within the precincts of that man's abode. I feel I may trust you
now and hereafter. It is a great thing for the happiness and honour of
this poor young lady and her mother, that I may be able to declare that I
did not take her from that man, from any man--from that house, from any
house. You comprehend me, and will obey? I speak to you as a
confidant,--a friend."

"I thank you with my whole heart, sir, for so doing. You saved my
sister's life, and the least I can do is to keep secret all that would
pain your life if blabbed abroad. I know what mischief folks' tongues can
make. I will wait by the door, never fear, and will rather lose my place
than not strain all the legal power I possess to keep the young lady back
from sorrow."

This dialogue was interchanged in close hurried whisper behind the broken
wall, and out of all hearing. Waby now crept through a wide gap into the
inclosure, and nestled himself silently amidst the wrecks of the broken
boat, not six feet from the open door, and close to the wall of the house
itself. I went back some thirty yards up the road, to the rising ground
which I had pointed out to him. According to the best calculation I could
make--considering the pace at which I had cleared the precipitous pathway,
and reckoning from the place and time at which Lilian had been last
seen-she could not possibly have yet entered that house. I might presume
it would be more than half an hour before she could arrive; I was in hopes
that, during the interval, Margrave might show himself, perhaps at the
door, or from the windows, or I might even by some light from the latter