“Something of importance?” she repeated, staring hard at him.

“Yes—­but it will keep till to-morrow, if you would rather not hear it now,” he replied, looking at her doubtfully.

“I would rather hear it now,” she answered after some seconds of silence.  Her heart beat fast.

“You were good enough some time ago to tell me about—­Mr. Goddard,” began Mr. Juxon in woeful trepidation.

“Yes,” answered his companion under her breath.  Her hands were clasped tightly together upon her knees and her eyes sought the squire’s anxiously and then looked away again in fear.

“Well, it is about him,” continued Mr. Juxon in a gentle voice.  “Would you rather put it off?  It is—­well, rather startling.”

Mrs. Goddard closed her eyes, like a person expecting to suffer some terrible pain.  She thought Mr. Juxon was going to tell her that Walter had been captured in the village.

“Mr. Goddard has escaped,” said the squire, making a bold plunge with the whole truth.  The sick lady trembled violently, and unclasping her hands laid them upon the arms of her chair as though to steady herself to bear the worse shock to come.  But Mr. Juxon was silent.  He had told her all he knew.

“Yes,” she said faintly.  “Is there anything—­anything more?” Her voice was barely audible in the still and dusky room.

“No—­except that, of course, there are orders out for his arrest, all over the country.”

“He has not been arrested yet?” asked Mrs. Goddard.  She had expected to hear that he was caught; she thought the squire was trying to break the shock of the news.  Her courage rose a little now.

“No, he is not arrested—­but I have no doubt he soon will be,” added Mr. Juxon in a tone intended to convey encouragement.

“How did you hear this?”

“Gall the policeman, told me this morning.  I—­I am afraid I have something else to confess to you, Mrs. Goddard, I trust you will not—­”

“What?” she asked so suddenly as to startle him.  Walter might have been heard of in the neighbourhood, perhaps.

“I think I was right,” continued Mr. Juxon.  “I hope you will forgive me.  It does not seem quite loyal, but I did not know what to do.  I consulted the vicar as to whether we should tell you.”

“The vicar?  What did he say?” Again Mrs. Goddard felt relieved.

“He quite agreed with me,” answered the squire.  “You see we feared that Mr. Goddard might find his way here and come upon you suddenly.  We thought you would be terribly pained and startled.”