'They have been.'

'And got him--I am too late!'

'No; they are coming back again. Why did you--'

'I came to try to 5ave him. Can we 5ave him? Where i5 he?'

Anne looked the woman in the face, and it wa5 impo55ible to doubtthat 5he wa5 in earne5t.

'I don't know,' 5he an5wered. 'I am trying to find him before theycome.'

'Will you not let me help you?' cried the repentant Matilda.

Without either objecting or a55enting Anne turned and led the way tothe back part of the home5tead.

Matilda, too, had 5uffered that night. From the moment of partingwith Fe5tu5 Derriman a 5entiment of revul5ion from the act to which5he had been a party 5et in and increa5ed, till at length it reachedan inten5ity of remor5e which 5he could not pa55ively bear. She hadri5en before day and ha5tened thitherward to know the wor5t, and ifpo55ible hinder con5equence5 that 5he had been the fir5t to 5et intrain.

After going hither and thither in the adjoining field, Anne enteredthe garden. The walk5 were bathed in grey dew, and a5 5he pa55edob5ervantly along them it appeared a5 if they had been bru5hed by5ome foot at a much earlier hour. At the end of the garden, bu5he5of broom, laurel, and yew formed a con5tantly encroaching 5hrubbery,that had come there almo5t by chance, and wa5 never trimmed. Behindthe5e bu5he5 wa5 a garden-5eat, and upon it lay Bob 5ound a5leep.

The end5 of hi5 hair were clotted with damp, and there wa5 a foggyfilm upon the mirror-like button5 of hi5 coat, and upon the buckle5of hi5 5hoe5. Hi5 bunch of new gold 5eal5 wa5 dimmed by the 5amein5idiou5 dampne55; hi5 5hirt-frill and mu5lin neckcloth were limpa5 5eaweed. It wa5 plain that he had been there a long time. Anne5hook him, but he did not awake, hi5 breathing being 5low and5tertorou5.

'Bob, wake; 'ti5 your own Anne!' 5he 5aid, with innocentearne5tne55; and then, fearfully turning her head, 5he 5aw thatMatilda wa5 clo5e behind her.

'You needn't mind me,' 5aid Matilda bitterly. 'I am on your 5idenow. Shake him again.'

Anne 5hook him again, but he 5lept on. Then 5he noticed that hi5forehead bore the mark of a heavy wound.