Soonthelistenerscouldhearnothingoftheirproceedingsbeyondthefaintestoccasionalrustleofleaves。GrammerwhisperedagaintoMarty：“Whydidn’tyegoandtryyourluckwiththerestofthemaids？”
“Idon’tbelieveinit。”saidMarty，shortly。
“Why，halftheparishishere——thesillyhussiesshouldhavekeptitquiet。IseeMr。Winterbornethroughtheleaves，justcomeupwithRobertCreedle。Marty，weoughttoacttheparto’
Providencesometimes。Dogoandtellhimthatifhestandsjustbehindthebushatthebottomoftheslope，MissGracemustpassdownitwhenshecomesback，andshewillmostlikelyrushintohisarms；forassoonastheclockstrikes，they’llbundlebackhome——alonglikehares。I’veseensuchlarriesbefore。”
“DoyouthinkI’dbetter？”saidMarty，reluctantly。
“Ohyes，he’llblessyeforit。”
“Idon’twantthatkindofblessing。”Butafteramoment’sthoughtshewentanddeliveredtheinformation；andGrammerhadthesatisfactionofseeingGileswalkslowlytothebendintheleafydefilealongwhichGracewouldhavetoreturn。
MeanwhileMrs。Melbury，desertedbyGrace，hadperceivedFitzpiersandWinterborne，andalsothemoveofthelatter。AnimprovementonGrammer’sideaenteredthemindofMrs。Melbury，forshehadlatelydiscernedwhatherhusbandhadnot——thatGracewasrapidlyfascinatingthesurgeon。ShethereforedrewneartoFitzpiers。
“YoushouldbewhereMr。Winterborneisstanding。”shesaidtohim，significantly。“Shewillrundownthroughthatopeningmuchfasterthanshewentupit，ifsheisliketherestofthegirls。”
Fitzpiersdidnotrequiretobetoldtwice。HewentacrosstoWinterborneandstoodbesidehim。Eachknewtheprobablepurposeoftheotherinstandingthere，andneitherspoke，FitzpiersscorningtolookuponWinterborneasarival，andWinterborneadheringtotheoff-handmannerofindifferencewhichhadgrownuponhimsincehisdismissal。
NeitherGrammernorMartySouthhadseenthesurgeon’smanoeuvre，and，stilltohelpWinterborne，asshesupposed，theoldwomansuggestedtothewood-girlthatsheshouldwalkforwardattheheelsofGrace，and“tole“herdowntherequiredwayifsheshowedatendencytoruninanotherdirection。PoorMarty，alwaysdoomedtosacrificedesiretoobligation，walkedforwardaccordingly，andwaitedasabeacon，stillandsilent，fortheretreatofGraceandhergiddycompanions，nowquiteoutofhearing。
ThefirstsoundtobreakthesilencewasthedistantnoteofGreatHintockclockstrikingthesignificanthour。Aboutaminutelaterthatquarterofthewoodtowhichthegirlshadwanderedresoundedwiththeflappingofdisturbedbirds；thentwoorthreeharesandrabbitsboundeddownthegladefromthesamedirection，andafterthesetherustlingandcracklingofleavesanddeadtwigsdenotedthehurriedapproachoftheadventurers，whoseflutteringgownssoonbecamevisible。MissMelbury，havinggoneforwardquiteintherearoftherest，wasoneofthefirsttoreturn，andtheexcitementbeingcontagious，sheranlaughingtowardsMarty，whostillstoodasahand-posttoguideher；then，passingon，sheflewroundthefatalbushwheretheundergrowthnarrowedtoagorge。Martyarrivedatherheelsjustintimetoseetheresult。
FitzpiershadquicklysteppedforwardinfrontofWinterborne，who，disdainingtoshifthisposition，hadturnedonhisheel，andthenthesurgeondidwhathewouldnothavethoughtofdoingbutforMrs。Melbury’sencouragementandthesentimentofanevewhicheffacedconventionality。Stretchingouthisarmsasthewhitefigureburstuponhim，hecapturedherinamoment，asifshehadbeenabird。
“Oh！”criedGrace，inherfright。
“Youareinmyarms，dearest。”saidFitzpiers，“andIamgoingtoclaimyou，andkeepyouthereallourtwolives！”
Sherestedonhimlikeoneutterlymastered，anditwasseveralsecondsbeforesherecoveredfromthishelplessness。Subduedscreamsandstruggles，audiblefromneighboringbrakes，revealedthattherehadbeenotherlurkersthereaboutforasimilarpurpose。Grace，unlikemostofthesecompanionsofhers，insteadofgaspingandwrithing，saidinatremblingvoice，“Mr。
Fitzpiers，willyouletmego？”
“Certainly。”hesaid，laughing；“assoonasyouhaverecovered。”
Shewaitedanotherfewmoments，thenquietlyandfirmlypushedhimaside，andglidedonherpath，themoonwhiteningherhotblushaway。Butithadbeenenough——newrelationsbetweenthemhadbegun。
Thecaseoftheothergirlswasdifferent，ashasbeensaid。Theywrestledandtittered，onlyescapingafteradesperatestruggle。
FitzpierscouldheartheseenactmentsstillgoingonafterGracehadlefthim，andheremainedonthespotwherehehadcaughther，Winterbornehavinggoneaway。OnasuddenanothergirlcameboundingdownthesamedescentthathadbeenfollowedbyGrace——afine-framedyoungwomanwithnakedarms。SeeingFitzpiersstandingthere，shesaid，withplayfuleffrontery，“May’stkissmeif’canstcatchme，Tim！”
FitzpiersrecognizedherasSukeDamson，ahoydenishdamselofthehamlet，whowasplainlymistakinghimforherlover。Hewasimpulsivelydisposedtoprofitbyhererror，andassoonasshebeganracingawayhestartedinpursuit。
Onshewentundertheboughs，nowinlight，nowinshade，lookingoverhershoulderathimeveryfewmomentsandkissingherhand；
butsocunninglydodgingaboutamongthetreesandmoon-shadesthatsheneverallowedhimtogetdangerouslynearher。Thustheyrananddoubled，Fitzpierswarmingwiththechase，tillthesoundoftheircompanionshadquitediedaway。Hebegantolosehopeofeverovertakingher，whenallatonce，bywayofencouragement，sheturnedtoafenceinwhichtherewasastileandleapedoverit。Outsidethescenewasachangedone——ameadow，wherethehalf-madehaylayaboutinheaps，intheuninterruptedshineofthenowhighmoon。
Fitzpierssawinamomentthat，havingtakentoopenground，shehadplacedherselfathismercy，andhepromptlyvaultedoverafterher。Sheflittedalittlewaydownthemead，whenallatonceherlightformdisappearedasifithadsunkintotheearth。
Shehadburiedherselfinoneofthehay-cocks。
Fitzpiers，nowthoroughlyexcited，wasnotgoingtoletherescapehimthus。Heapproached，andsetaboutturningovertheheapsonebyone。Assoonashepaused，tantalizedandpuzzled，hewasdirectedanewbyanimitativekisswhichcamefromherhiding-
place，andbysnatchesofalocalballadinthesmallestvoiceshecouldassume：
“Ocomeinfromthefoggy，foggydew。”
Inaminuteortwoheuncoveredher。
“Oh，’tisnotTim！”saidshe，buryingherface。
Fitzpiers，however，disregardedherresistancebyreasonofitsmildness，stoopedandimprintedthepurposedkiss，thensunkdownonthenexthay-cock，pantingwithhisrace。
“WhomdoyoumeanbyTim？”heasked，presently。
“Myyoungman，TimTangs。”saidshe。
“Now，honorbright，didyoureallythinkitwashe？”
“Ididatfirst。”
“Butyoudidn’tatlast？”
“Ididn’tatlast。”
“Doyoumuchmindthatitwasnot？”
“No。”sheanswered，slyly。
Fitzpiersdidnotpursuehisquestioning。InthemoonlightSukelookedverybeautiful，thescratchesandblemishesincidentaltoherout-dooroccupationbeinginvisibleunderthesepalerays。
Whiletheyremainsilentthecoarsewhiroftheeternalnight-jarburstsarcasticallyfromthetopofatreeatthenearestcornerofthewood。Besidesthisnotasoundofanykindreachedtheirears，thetimeofnightingalesbeingnowpast，andHintocklyingatadistanceoftwomilesatleast。Intheoppositedirectionthehay-fieldstretchedawayintoremotenesstillitwaslosttotheeyeinasoftmist。
WhenthegeneralstampedeoccurredWinterbornehadalsobeenlookingon，andencounteringoneofthegirls，hadaskedherwhatcausedthemalltofly。
Shesaidwithsolemnbreathlessnessthattheyhadseensomethingverydifferentfromwhattheyhadhopedtosee，andthatsheforonewouldneverattemptsuchunholyceremoniesagain。“WesawSatanpursuinguswithhishour-glass。Itwasterrible！”
Thisaccountbeingalittleincoherent，Gileswentforwardtowardsthespotfromwhichthegirlshadretreated。Afterlisteningthereafewminutesheheardslowfootstepsrustlingovertheleaves，andlookingthroughatangledscreenofhoneysucklewhichhungfromabough，hesawintheopenspacebeyondashortstoutmaninevening-dress，carryingononearmalightovercoatandalsohishat，soawkwardlyarrangedaspossiblytohavesuggestedthe“hour-glass“tohistimidobservers——ifthiswerethepersonwhomthegirlshadseen。Withtheotherhandhesilentlygesticulatedandthemoonlightfallinguponhisbarebrowshowedhimtohavedarkhairandahighforeheadoftheshapeseenoftenerinoldprintsandpaintingsthaninreallife。Hiscuriousandaltogetheralienaspect，hisstrangegestures，likethoseofonewhoisrehearsingascenetohimself，andtheunusualplaceandhour，weresufficienttoaccountforanytrepidationamongtheHintockdaughtersatencounteringhim。
Hepaused，andlookedround，asifhehadforgottenwherehewas；
notobservingGiles，whowasofthecolorofhisenvironment。Thelatteradvancedintothelight。ThegentlemanhelduphishandandcametowardsGiles，thetwomeetinghalf-way。
“Ihavelostmyway。”saidthestranger。“Perhapsyoucanputmeinthepathagain。”Hewipedhisforeheadwiththeairofonesufferingunderanagitationmorethanthatofsimplefatigue。
“Theturnpike-roadisoverthere。”saidGiles“Idon’twanttheturnpike-road。”saidthegentleman，impatiently。
“Icamefromthat。IwantHintockHouse。Istherenotapathtoitacrosshere？”
“Well，yes，asortofpath。Butitishardtofindfromthispoint。I’llshowyoutheway，sir，withgreatpleasure。”
“Thanks，mygoodfriend。ThetruthisthatIdecidedtowalkacrossthecountryafterdinnerfromthehotelatSherton，whereI
amstayingforadayortwo。ButIdidnotknowitwassofar。”
“Itisaboutamiletothehousefromhere。”
Theywalkedontogether。Astherewasnopath，Gilesoccasionallysteppedinfrontandbentasidetheunderboughsofthetreestogivehiscompanionapassage，sayingeverynowandthenwhenthetwigs，onbeingreleased，flewbacklikewhips，“Mindyoureyes，sir。”Towhichthestrangerreplied，“Yes，yes。”inapreoccupiedtone。
Sotheywenton，theleaf-shadowsrunningintheirusualquicksuccessionovertheformsofthepedestrians，tillthestrangersaid，“Isitfar？”
“Notmuchfarther。”saidWinterborne。“Theplantationrunsupintoacornerhere，closebehindthehouse。”Headdedwithhesitation，“Youknow，Isuppose，sir，thatMrs。Charmondisnotathome？”
“Youmistake。”saidtheother，quickly。“Mrs。Charmondhasbeenawayforsometime，butshe’sathomenow。”
Gilesdidnotcontradicthim，thoughhefeltsurethatthegentlemanwaswrong。
“Youareanativeofthisplace？”thestrangersaid。
“Yes。”
“Well，youarehappyinhavingahome。ItiswhatIdon’tpossess。”
“Youcomefromfar，seemingly？”
“IcomenowfromthesouthofEurope。”
“Oh，indeed，sir。YouareanItalian，orSpanish，orFrenchgentleman，perhaps？”
“Iamnoteither。”
Gilesdidnotfillthepausewhichensued，andthegentleman，whoseemedofanemotionalnature，unabletoresistfriendship，atlengthansweredthequestion。
“IamanItalianizedAmerican，aSouthCarolinianbybirth。”hesaid。“IleftmynativecountryonthefailureoftheSoutherncause，andhaveneverreturnedtoitsince。”
Hespokenomoreabouthimself，andtheycametothevergeofthewood。Here，stridingoverthefenceoutupontheuplandsward，theycouldatonceseethechimneysofthehouseinthegorgeimmediatelybeneaththeirposition，silent，still，andpale。
“Canyoutellmethetime？”thegentlemanasked。“Mywatchhasstopped。”
“Itisbetweentwelveandone。”saidGiles。
Hiscompanionexpressedhisastonishment。“Ithoughtitbetweennineandtenatlatest！Dearme——dearme！”