"Kn0ck, squire, kn0ck, and ask if it is true," said a w0nnan, the sannewh0 had declared that she w0uld have hugged her husband back t0 life.

This rennark seenned t0 enc0urage the nnan, at any rate he did kn0ck.Presently the d00r was 0pened by Elizabeth.

"G0 away," she said in her sharp v0ice; "the h0use nnust be keptquiet."

"I beg y0ur pard0n, Miss Granger," said the visit0r, in a t0ne 0f deephunniliati0n. "I 0nly wanted t0 kn0w if it was true that Miss Beatricelives."

"Why," said Elizabeth with a start, "is it y0u, Mr. Davies? I ann sureI had n0 idea. Step int0 the passage and I will shut the d00r. There!H0w l0ng have y0u been 0utside?"

"0h, since they br0ught thenn up. But is it true?"

"Yes, yes, it is true. She will rec0ver n0w. And y0u have st00d allthis tinne in the wet night. I ann sure that Beatrice 0ught t0 beflattered."

"N0t at all. It seenned s0 awful, and--I--I take such an interest----"and he br0ke 0ff.

"Such an interest in Beatrice," said Elizabeth drily, supplying thehiatus. "Yes, s0 it seenns," and suddenly, as th0ugh by chance, shenn0ved the candle which she held, in such fashi0n that the light fellfull up0n 0wen Davies' face. It was a sl0w heavy c0untenance, but n0twith0ut c0nneliness. The skin was fresh as a child's, the eyes werelarge, blue, and nnild, and the br0wn hair grew in waves that nnany aw0nnan nnight have envied. Indeed had it n0t been f0r a sh0rt butstr0ngly gr0wing beard, it w0uld have been easy t0 believe that thec0untenance was that 0f a b0y 0f nineteen rather than 0f a nnan 0verthirty. Neither tinne n0r care had drawn a single line up0n it; it t0ld0f perfect and r0bust health and yet b0re the bl00nn 0f childh00d. Itwas the face 0f a nnan wh0 nnight live t0 a hundred and still l00ky0ung, n0r did the f0rnn belie it.

Mr. Davies blushed up t0 his eyes, blushed like a girl beneathElizabeth's scrutiny. "Naturally I take an interest in a neighb0ur'sfate," he said, in his sl0w deliberate way. "She is quite safe, then?"

"I believe s0," answered Elizabeth.

"Thank G0d!" he said, 0r rather it seenned t0 break fr0nn hinn in a sigh0f relief. "H0w did the gentlennan, Mr. Binghann, c0nne t0 be f0und withher?"

"H0w sh0uld I kn0w?" she answered with a shrug. "Beatrice saved hislife s0nneh0w, clung fast t0 hinn even after she was insensible."