“Nothing whatever!  Let me alone, Clam.”

“Mis’ Nettles! —­” said Clam going in towards the kitchen, —­ “Mis’ Nettles! —­ where’s Mr. Landholm? —­ Governor Winthrop —­ here’s Miss ‘Lizabeth unhookin’ all them blinds you’ve been a hookin’ up.”

“What do you mean, Clam?”

“I don’t mean no harm,” said Clam lowering her tone, —­ “but Miss ’Lizabeth does.  I wish you would go and see what she is doing, Mr. Winthrop; she’s makin’ work for somebody; and if it ain’t nobody else, it’s the doctor.”

Winthrop however sat still, and Clam departed in ignorance how he had received her information.  Presently however his supper was finished, and he sauntered round to the front of the house.  He paused before the doorway where its mistress sat.

“It is too damp for you there.”

“I don’t feel it.”

“I do.”

“I am not afraid of it.”

“If the fact were according to your fears, that would be a sufficient answer.”

“It will do me no harm.”

“It must not; and that it may not, you must go in,” he said gravely.

“But you are out in it,” said Elizabeth, who was possessed with an uncompromising spirit just then.

“I am out in it.  Well?”

“Only —­ that I may venture —­” she did not like to finish her sentence.

“What right have you to venture anything?”

“The same right that other people have.”

“I risk nothing,” said he gravely.

“I haven’t much to risk.”

“You may risk your life.”

“My life!” said Elizabeth.  “What does it signify! —­” But she jumped up and ran into the house.

The next morning there was an early breakfast, for which Elizabeth was ready.  Then Winthrop took her directions for things to be forwarded from Mannahatta.  Then there was a quiet leave-taking; on his part kind and cool, on hers too full of impassioned feeling to be guarded or constrained.  But there was reason and excuse enough for that, as she knew, or guard and restraint would both have been there.  When she quitted his hand, it was to hide herself in her room and have one struggle with the feeling of desolation.  It was a long one.

Elizabeth came out at last, book in hand.

“Dear Miss Haye!” Mrs. Nettley exclaimed —­ “you’re dreadful worn with this hot weather and being out of doors all day yesterday!”

“I am going out again,” said Elizabeth.  “Clam will know where to find me.”

“If you had wings, I’d know where to find you,” said Clam; “but on your feet ’taint so certain.”

“You needn’t try, unless it is necessary,” said Elizabeth dryly.

“But dear Miss Haye!” pleaded Mrs. Nettley, —­ “you’re not surely going out to try the sun again to-day?”

Elizabeth’s lip quivered.

“It’s the pleasantest place, Mrs. Nettley —­ I am quite in the shade —­ I can’t be better than I am there, thank you.”