And；　if　not　too　tired　with　her　drudgery；　or　wor…
  ried　beyond　endurance　by　her　father；　she　would
  laugh　at　him　with　a　blush；　and　say：　〃That's　all
  right；　Captain　Hagberd；　I　am　not　impatient。〃
  〃Well；　my　dear；　you　haven't　long　to　wait　now；〃
  he　would　answer　with　a　sudden　bashfulness；　and
  looking　uneasily；　as　though　he　had　suspected　that
  there　was　something　wrong　somewhere。
  Every　Monday　she　paid　him　his　rent　over　the
  railings。　　He　clutched　the　shillings　greedily。　　He
  grudged　every　penny　he　had　to　spend　on　his　main…
  tenance；　and　when　he　left　her　to　make　his　purchases
  his　bearing　changed　as　soon　as　he　got　into　the
  street。　　Away　from　the　sanction　of　her　pity；　he　felt
  himself　exposed　without　defence。　　He　brushed　the
  walls　with　his　shoulder。　　He　mistrusted　the　queer…
  ness　of　the　people；　yet；　by　then；　even　the　town
  children　had　left　off　calling　after　him；　and　the
  tradesmen　served　him　without　a　word。　　The　slight…
  est　allusion　to　his　clothing　had　the　power　to　puzzle
  and　frighten　especially；　as　if　it　were　something
  utterly　unwarranted　and　incomprehensible。
  In　the　autumn；　the　driving　rain　drummed　on　his
  sailcloth　suit　saturated　almost　to　the　stiffness　of
  sheet…iron；　with　its　surface　flowing　with　water。
  When　the　weather　was　too　bad；　he　retreated　under
  the　tiny　porch；　and；　standing　close　against　the
  door；　looked　at　his　spade　left　planted　in　the　middle
  of　the　yard。　　The　ground　was　so　much　dug　up　all
  over；　that　as　the　season　advanced　it　turned　to　a
  quagmire。　　When　it　froze　hard；　he　was　disconso…
  late。　　What　would　Harry　say？　　And　as　he　could
  not　have　so　much　of　Bessie's　company　at　that　time
  of　the　year；　the　roars　of　old　Carvil；　that　came　muf…
  fled　through　the　closed　windows；　calling　her　in…
  doors；　exasperated　him　greatly。
  〃Why　don't　that　extravagant　fellow　get　you　a
  servant？〃　he　asked　impatiently　one　mild　after…
  noon。　　She　had　thrown　something　over　her　head　to
  run　out　for　a　while。
  〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　pale　Bessie；　wearily；
  staring　away　with　her　heavy…lidded；　grey；　and　un…
  expectant　glance。　　There　were　always　smudgy
  shadows　under　her　eyes；　and　she　did　not　seem　able
  to　see　any　change　or　any　end　to　her　life。
  〃You　wait　till　you　get　married；　my　dear；〃　said
  her　only　friend；　drawing　closer　to　the　fence。
  〃Harry　will　get　you　one。〃
  His　hopeful　craze　seemed　to　mock　her　own　want
  of　hope　with　so　bitter　an　aptness　that　in　her　ner…
  vous　irritation　she　could　have　screamed　at　him　out…
  right。　　But　she　only　said　in　self…mockery；　and
  speaking　to　him　as　though　he　had　been　sane；
  〃Why；　Captain　Hagberd；　your　son　may　not　even
  want　to　look　at　me。〃
  He　flung　his　head　back　and　laughed　his　throaty
  affected　cackle　of　anger。
  〃What！　　That　boy？　　Not　want　to　look　at　the
  only　sensible　girl　for　miles　around？　　What　do　you
  think　I　am　here　for；　my　dearmy　dearmy　dear？
  。　。　。　　What？　　You　wait。　　You　just　wait。　　You'll
  see　to…morrow。　　I'll　soon〃
  〃Bessie！　　Bessie！　　Bessie！〃　howled　old　Carvil　in…
  side。　　〃Bessie！my　pipe！〃　　That　fat　blind　man
  had　given　himself　up　to　a　very　lust　of　laziness。　　He
  would　not　lift　his　hand　to　reach　for　the　things　she
  took　care　to　leave　at　his　very　elbow。　　He　would　not
  move　a　limb；　he　would　not　rise　from　his　chair；　he
  would　not　put　one　foot　before　another；　in　that　par…
  lour　（where　he　knew　his　way　as　well　as　if　he　had　his
  sight）；　without　calling　her　to　his　side　and　hanging
  all　his　atrocious　weight　on　her　shoulder。　　He　would
  not　eat　one　single　mouthful　of　food　without　her
  close　attendance。　　He　had　made　himself　helpless
  beyond　his　affliction；　to　enslave　her　better。　　She
  stood　still　for　a　moment；　setting　her　teeth　in　the
  dusk；　then　turned　and　walked　slowly　indoors。
  Captain　Hagberd　went　back　to　his　spade。　　The
  shouting　in　Carvil's　cottage　stopped；　and　after　a
  while　the　window　of　the　parlour　downstairs　was　lit
  up。　　A　man　coming　from　the　end　of　the　street　with
  a　firm　leisurely　step　passed　on；　but　seemed　to　have
  caught　sight　of　Captain　Hagberd；　because　he
  turned　back　a　pace　or　two。　　A　cold　white　light　lin…
  gered　in　the　western　sky。　　The　man　leaned　over　the
  gate　in　an　interested　manner。
  〃You　must　be　Captain　Hagberd；〃　he　said；　with
  easy　assurance。
  The　old　man　spun　round；　pulling　out　his　spade；
  startled　by　the　strange　voice。
  〃Yes；　I　am；〃　he　answered　nervously。
  The　other；　smiling　straight　at　him；　uttered　very
  slowly：　〃You've　been　advertising　for　your　son；　I
  believe？〃
  〃My　son　Harry；〃　mumbled　Captain　Hagberd；
  off　his　guard　for　once。　　〃He's　coming　home　to…
  morrow。〃
  〃The　devil　he　is！〃　　The　stranger　marvelled
  greatly；　and　then　went　on；　with　only　a　slight
  change　of　tone：　〃You've　grown　a　beard　like
  Father　Christmas　himself。〃
  Captain　Hagberd　drew　a　little　nearer；　and
  leaned　forward　over　his　spade。　　〃Go　your　way；〃
  he　said；　resentfully　and　timidly　at　the　same　time；
  because　he　was　always　afraid　of　being　laughed　at。
  Every　mental　state；　even　madness；　has　its　equi…
  librium　based　upon　self…esteem。　　Its　disturbance
  causes　unhappiness；　and　Captain　Hagberd　lived
  amongst　a　scheme　of　settled　notions　which　it　pained
  him　to　feel　disturbed　by　people's　grins。　　Yes；　peo…
  ple's　grins　were　awful。　　They　hinted　at　something
  wrong：　but　what？　　He　could　not　tell；　and　that
  stranger　was　obviously　grinninghad　come　on
  purpose　to　grin。　　It　was　bad　enough　on　the　streets；
  but　he　had　never　before　been　outraged　like　this。
  The　stranger；　unaware　how　near　he　was　of　hav…
  ing　his　head　laid　open　with　a　spade；　said　seriously：
  〃I　am　not　trespassing　where　I　stand；　am　I？　　I
  fancy　there's　something　wrong　about　your　news。
  Suppose　you　let　me　come　in。〃
  〃YOU　come　in！〃　murmured　old　Hagberd；　with
  inexpressible　horror。
  〃I　could　give　you　some　real　information　about
  your　sonthe　very　latest　tip；　if　you　care　to
  hear。〃
  〃No；〃　shouted　Hagberd。　　He　began　to　pace
  wildly　to　and　fro；　he　shouldered　his　spade；　he　ges…
  ticulated　with　his　other　arm。　　〃Here's　a　fellow
  a　grinning　fellow；　who　says　there's　something
  wrong。　　I've　got　more　information　than　you're
  aware　of。　　I've　all　the　information　I　want。　　I've
  had　it　for　yearsfor　yearsfor　yearsenough
  to　last　me　till　to…morrow。　　Let　you　come　in；　indeed！
  What　would　Harry　say？〃
  Bessie　Carvil's　figure　appeared　in　black　silhou…
  ette　on　the　parlour　window；　then；　with　the　sound　of
  an　opening　door；　flitted　out　before　the　other　cot…
  tage；　all　black；　but　with　something　white　over
  her　head。　　These　two　voices　beginning　to　talk　sud…
  denly　outside　（she　had　heard　them　indoors）　had
  given　her　such　an　emotion　that　she　could　not　utter
  a　sound。
  Captain　Hagberd　seemed　to　be　trying　to　find　his
  way　out　of　a　cage。　　His　feet　squelched　in　the　pud…
  dles　left　by　his　industry。　　He　stumbled　in　the　holes
  of　the　ruined　grass…plot。　　He　ran　blindly　against
  the　fence。
  〃Here；　steady　a　bit！〃　said　the　man　at　the　gate；
  gravely　stretching　his　arm　over　and　catching　him
  by　the　sleeve。　　〃Somebody's　been　trying　to　get　at
  you。　　Hallo！　what's　this　rig　you've　got　on？　　Storm
  canvas；　by　George！〃　　He　had　a　big　laugh。
  〃Well；　you　ARE　a　character！〃
  Captain　Hagberd　jerked　himself　free；　and　began
  to　back　away　shrinkingly。　　〃For　the　present；〃　he
  muttered；　in　a　crestfallen　tone。
  〃What's　the　matter　with　him？〃　　The　stranger
  addressed　Bessie　with　the　utmost　familiarity；　in　a
  deliberate；　explanatory　tone。　　〃I　didn't　want　to
  startle　the　old　man。〃　　He　lowered　his　voice　as
  though　he　had　known　her　for　years。　　〃I　dropped
  into　a　barber's　on　my　way；　to　get　a　twopenny
  shave；　and　they　told　me　there　he　was　something　of
  a　character。　　The　old　man　has　been　a　character　all
  his　life。〃
  Captain　Hagberd；　daunted　by　the　allusion　to　his
  clothing；　had　retreated　inside；　taking　his　spade
  with　him；　and　the　two　at　the　gate；　startled　by　the
  unexpected　slamming　of　the　door；　heard　the　bolts
  being　shot；　the　snapping　of　the　lock；　and　the　echo
  of　an　affected　gurgling　laugh　within。
  〃I　didn't　want　to　upset　him；〃　the　man　said；
  after　a　short　silence。　　〃What's　the　meaning　of　all
  this？　　He　isn't　quite　crazy。〃
  〃He　has　been　worrying　a　long　time　about　his
  lost　son；〃