348
WYLDER'S HAA'D.
alarming a character than he had anticipated, tie had
abundance of matter for thought and perturbation, and felt
himself, when the images of Larcom, Larkin, and Jim
Dutton crossed the retina of his memory, some thrill of
the fear of a terrible coercion which he liked so well to
practise in the case of others.
In this mood he paced, without minding in what direc-
tion ho went, under those great rows of timber which
over-arch the pathway leading toward Redman's Dell —
the path that he and Mark Wylder had trod in that misty
moonlight walk on which I had seen them set out together.
Before he had walked five minutes in this direction, he
was encountered by a little girl in a cloak, who stopped
and dropped a courtesy. The Captain stopped also, and
looked at her with a stare which, I suppose, had some-
thing forbidding in it, for the child was frightened. But
the wild and menacing look was unconscious and only
the reflection of the dark speculations and passions which
were tumbling and breaking in his soul.
"Well, child," said he, gently, " I think I know your
face, but I forget your name."
"Little Margery, please sir, from Miss Lake at Red-
man's Farm," she replied, with a courtesy.
"Oh! to be sure, yes. And how is Miss Rachel?"
"Very bad with a headache, please, sir."
"Is she at home?"
"Yes, sir, please."
"Any message?"
"Yes, sir, please — a note for you, sir ;" and sho
produced a note, rather, indeed, a letter.
"She desired me, sir, please, to give it into your own
hand, if I could, and not to leave it, please, sir, unless
you were at home when I reached.
He read the direction, and dropped it unopened into