"Perhaps I had better leave you--you are very much agitated--you must need rest--would you not rather that I should go ?" "Yes--it is better," said she, still staring at the fire.

"You know all about me now," she added in a tone of pathetic regret.

The squire rose to his feet.
"I hope," he said with some hesitation, "that this--this very unfortunate day will not prevent our being friends--better friends than before ?" Mrs.Goddard looked up gratefully through her tears.
"How good you are!" she said softly.
"Not at all--I am not at all good--I only want to be your friend.
Good-bye--G--God bless you!" He seized her hand and squeezed it and then hurried out of the room.

A moment later he was crossing the road with Stamboul, who was very tired of waiting, bounding before him.
The squire was not a romantic character.

He was a strong plain man, who had seen the world and was used to most forms of danger and to a good many forms of suffering.