364 The Real Charlotte. 



I can't go away from you like this. Once I'm in England 

 I can't get back here, and if I did, what good would it be 

 to me ? He'd never give us a chance of seeing each other, 

 and we'd both be more miserable than we are, unless — 

 unless there was a chance of meeting you in Dublin or 

 somewhere — ? " He stopped for an instant. Francie 

 mutely shook her head. " Well, then, I shall never see you." 



There was silence, and the words settled down into both 

 their hearts. He cursed himself for being afraid of her, she, 

 whom he had always felt to be his inferior^ yet when he 

 spoke it was with an effort. 



" Come away with me out of this — come away with me 

 for good and all ! What's the odds ? We can't be more 

 than happy ! " 



Francie made an instinctive gesture with her hand while 

 he spoke, as if to stop him, but she said nothing, and 

 almost immediately the distant rush and rattle of a train 

 came quietly into the stillness. 



" That's his train ! " she exclaimed, looking as startled as 

 if the sound had been a sign from heaven. " Oh, go 

 away ! He mustn't meet you coming away from here." 



" I'll go if you give me a kiss," he answered drunkenly. 

 His arms were round her again, when they dropped to his 

 side as if he had been shot. 



There was a footstep on the path immediately below the 

 lilac bushes, and Charlotte's voice called to Francie that she 

 was just starting for home and had come to make her 

 adieux. 



CHAPTER XLIX 



Christopher Dysart drove to Rosemount next morning 

 to see Mr. Lambert on business. He noticed Mrs. Lambert 

 standing at the drawing-room window as he drove up, but 

 she left the window before he reached the hall door, and he 

 went straight to Mr. Lambert's study without seeing her 

 again. 



Francie returned listlessly to the seat that she had sprung 

 from with a terrified throb of the heart at the thought that 

 the wheels might be those of Hawkins' trap, and, putting 

 her elbow on the arm of the chair, rested her forehead on 



