‘If he doesn’t come,’ said Dagworthy, ’will you just walk over to the mill to let me know?’

‘I don’t know that I shall; I don’t think it would be proper.’

’Ho, ho!  I like that!  But you’ll have to be off, or you’ll never get there in time.’

She ran away, rejoicing in her escape from the lesson, Of course she looked back several times; the first glance showed her Dagworthy still gazing after her, at the second she saw that he was walking towards the garden.

He pushed open the wooden door, and passed between the hedges; the next door stood open, and he already saw Emily; she had seated herself under one of the pear trees, and was reading.  As soon as his eyes discovered her he paused; his hands clasped themselves nervously behind him.  Then he proceeded more slowly.  As soon as he stepped within the garden, Emily heard his approach, and turned her head with a smile, expectant of Jessie, At the sight of Dagworthy the smile vanished instantly, she became noticeably pale, and at length rose with a startled motion.

Dagworthy drew near to her; when close enough to hold out his hand, he could no longer keep his eyes upon her face; they fell, and his visage showed an embarrassment which, even in her confusion—­her all but dread—­Emily noticed as a strange thing.  She was struggling to command herself, to overcome by reason the fear which always attacked her in this man’s presence.  She felt it as a relief to be spared the steady gaze which, on former meetings, he had never removed from her.

‘You are surprised to see me here?’ he began, taking hold of the chair which Emily had risen from and swaying it backwards and forwards.  Even his voice was more subdued than she had ever known it.  ’I have come to apologise to you for sending Miss Cartwright to meet her father at the station.  I met her by chance just out there in the road, and as I wanted a messenger very badly I took advantage of her good-nature.  But she wouldn’t go unless I promised to come here and explain her absence.’

‘Thank you,’ Emily replied, as naturally as she could.  ’Will she still come back for her lesson, do you think?’

’I’m afraid not; she said I had better ask you to excuse her this morning.’

Emily gathered up two or three books which lay on the other chair.

‘You find her rather troublesome to teach, I should be afraid,’ Dagworthy pursued, watching her every moment.  ’Jessie isn’t much for study, is she?’

‘Perhaps she is a little absent now and then,’ replied Emily, saying the first thing that occurred to her.

She had collected her books and was about to fasten a strap round them.

‘Do let me do that for you,’ said Dagworthy, and he forestalled her assent, which she would probably not have given, by taking the books from her hands.  He put up his foot on the chair, as if for. the convenience of doing the strapping on his knee, but before he had finished it he spoke again.