374 I'he Real Charlotte. 



As she slackened her pace, all the thoughts that she had 

 been riding away from came up with her again. What 

 claim had Roddy on her now ? She had got him out of 

 his trouble, and that was the most he could expect her to do 

 for him. He hadn't thought much about the trouble he 

 was bringing on her ; he never as much as said he was 

 sorry for the disgrace it would be to her. Why should she 

 break her heart for him and Gerald's heart too ? — as she 

 said Hawkins' name to herself, her hands fell into her lap, 

 and she moaned aloud. Every step the mare was taking 

 was carrying her farther from him, but yet she could not 

 turn back. She was changed since yesterday ; she had seen 

 her husband's soul laid bare, and it had shown her how 

 tremendous were sin and duty ; it had touched her slumber- 

 ing moral sense as well as her kindness, and though she 

 rebelled she did not dare to turn back. 



It was not till she heard a pony's quick gallop behind her, 

 and looking back, saw Hawkins riding after her at full 

 speed, that she knew how soon she was to be tested. She 

 had scarcely time to collect herself before he was pulUng up 

 the pony beside her, and had turned a flushed and angry 

 face towards her. 



" Didn't you get my note ? Didn't you know I was com- 

 ing ? " he began in hot remonstrance. Then, seeing in a 

 moment how ill and strange she looked, "What's the 

 matter ? Has anything happened ? " 



" Roddy came home yesterday evening," she said, with 

 her eyes fixed on the mare's mane. 



" Well, I know that," interrupted Hawkins. " Do you 

 mean that he was angry ? Did he find out anything about 

 me ? If he did see the note I wrote you, there was nothing 

 in that." Francie shook her head. *' Then it's nothing ? 

 It's only that you've been frightened by that brute," he said, 

 kicking his pony up beside the mare, and trying to look 

 into Francie's downcast eyes. " Don't mind him. It won't 

 be for long." 



" You mustn't say that," she said hurriedly. " I was very 

 wrong yesterday, and I'm sorry for it now." 



" I know you're not ! " he burst out, with all the con- 

 viction that he felt. " You can't unsay what you said to 

 me yesterday, I sat up the whole night thinking the thing 

 over and thinking of you, and at last I thought of a fellow I 



