“Whatdidhesay？“askedRandolphuneasily。
“Idon’tliketosay——itwasTOOdreadful！“
Randolphdidnotpressher。Yet，afterapause，shesaidinalowvoice，withanaiveteimpossibletodescribe，“Itwas，’Jack，damnyou！’“
Hedidnotdaretolookather，evenwiththisgrimminglingoffarceandtragedywhichseemedtoinvesteverysceneofthatsordiddrama。MissEversleighcontinuedgravely:“Thegroom’snamewasRobert，butJackmighthavebeenthenameofoneofhisbooncompanions。“
Convincedthatshesuspectednothing，yetinthehopeofchangingthesubject，Randolphsaidquietly:“Ithoughtyourguardianperhapsalittlelessfrankandcommunicativeto-day。“
“Yes，“saidtheyounggirlsuddenly，withacertainimpatience，andyetinhalfapologytohercompanion，“ofcourse。He——THEY——allandeverybody——aremuchmoreconcernedandanxiousaboutmynewpositionthanIam。It’sperfectlydreadful——thisthinkingofitallthetime，arrangingeverything，criticisingeverythinginreferencetoit，andthepoormanwhoisthecauseofitallnotyetatrestinhisgrave！Thewholethingisinhumanandunchristian！“
“Idon’tunderstand，“stammeredRandolphvaguely。“WhatISyournewposition？Whatdoyoumean？“
Thegirllookedupinhisfacewithsurprise。“Why，didn’tyouknow？I’mthenextofkin——I’mtheheiress——andwillsucceedtothepropertyinsixmonths，whenIamofage。“
InaflashofrecollectionRandolphsuddenlyrecalledthecaptain’swords，“Thereareonlythreelivesbetweenherandtheproperty。“
Theirmeaninghadbarelytouchedhiscomprehensionbefore。Shewastheheiress。Yes，saveforthecaptain！
Shesawthechange，thewonder，eventhedismay，inhisface，andherownbrightenedfrankly。“It’ssogoodtofindonewhoneverthoughtofit，whohadn’titbeforehimasthechiefendforwhichIwasborn！Yes，IwasthenextofkinafterdearJackdiedandBillsucceeded，buttherewaseverychancethathewouldmarryandhaveanheir。Andyetthemomenthewastakenillthatideawasuppermostinmyguardian’smind，goodmanasheis，andevenforceduponme。Ifthis——thispropertyhadcomefrompoorCousinJack，whomIloved，therewouldhavebeensomethingdearinitasamemoryoragift，butfromHIM，whomIcouldn’tbear——Iknowit’swickedtotalkthatway，butit’ssimplydreadful！“
“Andyet，“saidRandolph，withasuddenseriousnesshecouldnotcontrol，“IhonestlybelievethatCaptainDorntonwouldbeperfectlyhappy——yes，rejoiced！——ifheknewthepropertyhadcometoYOU。“
Therewassuchanairofconviction，and，itseemedtothesimplegirl，evenofspiritualinsight，inhismannerthatherclear，handsomeeyesrestedwonderinglyonhis。
“Doyoureallythinkso？“shesaidthoughtfully。“AndyetHEknowsthatIamlikehim。Yes，“shecontinued，answeringRandolph’slookofsurprise，“IamjustlikeHIMinthat。Iloatheanddespisethelifethatthisthingwouldcondemnmeto；Ihateallthatitmeans，andallthatitbindsmeto，asheusedto；andifIcould，IwouldcutandrunfromitasHEdid。“
Shespokewithadeterminedearnestnessandwarmth，sounlikeherusualgravenaivetethathewasastonished。Therewasaflushonhercheekandafrankfireinhereyethatremindedhimstrangelyofthecaptain；andyetshehademphasizedherwordswithalittlestampofhernarrowfootandagestureofherhandthatwassountrainedandgirlishthathesmiled，andsaid，withperhapstheleasttouchofbitternessinhistone，“Butyouwillgetoverthatwhenyoucomeintotheproperty。“
“IsupposeIshall，“shereturned，withanoddlapsetoherformergravityandsubmissiveness。“That’swhattheyalltellme。“
“Youwillbeindependentandyourownmistress，“headded。
“Independent，“sherepeatedimpatiently，“withDorntonHallandtwentythousandayear！Independent，witheverydutymarkedoutforme！Independent，witheveryonetocriticisemysmallestactions——everyonewhowouldneverhavegivenathoughttotheorphanwhowascontentedandmadeherownfriendsonahundredayear！Ofcourseyou，whoareastranger，don’tunderstand；yetI
thoughtthatyou“——shehesitated，——“wouldhavethoughtdifferently。“
“Why？“
“Why，withyourbeliefthatoneshouldmakeone’sownfortune，“shesaid。
“Thatwoulddoforaman，andinthatIrespectedCaptainDornton’sconvictions，asyoutoldthemtome。Butforagirl，howcouldshebeindependent，exceptwithmoney？“
Sheshookherheadasifunconvinced，butdidnotreply。Theywerenearingthegardenporch，whenshelookedup，andsaid:“AndasYOU’REaman，youwillbemakingyourwayintheworld。Mr。
Dingwallsaidyouwould。“
Therewassomethingsochildishlytrustfulandconfidentinherassurancethathesmiled。“Mr。Dingwallistoosanguine，butitgivesmehopetohearYOUsayso。“
Shecoloredslightly，andsaidgravely:“Wemustgoinnow。“Yetshelingeredforamomentbeforethedoor。Foralongtimeafterwardhehadaveryvividrecollectionofhercharmingface，initschildlikegravityanditsquaintframeofblackcrape，standingoutagainstthesunset-warmedwalloftherectory。“Promisemeyouwillnotmindwhatthesepeoplesayordo，“shesaidsuddenly。
“Ipromise，“hereturned，withasmile，“tomindonlywhatYOUsayordo。“
“ButImightnotbealwaysquiteright，youknow，“shesaidnaively。
“I’llriskthat。“
“Then，whenwegoinnow，don’ttalkmuchtome，butmakeyourselfagreeabletoalltheothers，andthengostraighthometotheinn，anddon’tcomehereuntilafterthefuneral。“
Thefaintestevasiveglintofmischievousnessinherwithdrawneyesatthismomentmitigatedtheausterityofhercommandastheybothpassedin。
RandolphhadintendednottoreturntoLondonuntilafterthefuneral，twodayslater，andspenttheinterestingdayattheneighboringtown，whencehedispatchedhisexploringandperhapshopelesslettertothecaptain。Thefuneralwasalargeandimposingone，andimpressedRandolphforthefirsttimewiththelocalimportanceandsolidstandingoftheDorntons。Allthemagnatesandoldcountyfamilieswererepresented。Theinnyardandthestreetsofthelittlevillagewerefilledwiththeirquaintliveries，crestedpaneledcarriages，andsilver-ciphercaparisonedhorses，withasprinklingoffashionfromLondon。Hecouldnotclosehisearstothegossipofthevillagersregardingthesuddennessofthelatebaronet’sdeath，theextinctionofthetitle，theaccessionoftheorphanedgirltotheproperty，andeven，tohisgreaterexasperation，speculationsuponherfutureandprobablemarriage。“Someo’theygaychapsfromLunnonwillbelordin’itovertheHallaforelong，“wasthecommentofthehostler。
ItwaswithsomelittlebitternessthatRandolphtookhisseatinthecrowdedchurch。Butthisfeeling，andevenhisattemptstodiscoverMissEversleigh’sfaceinthestatelyfamilypewfencedofffromthechancel，presentlypassedaway。Andthenhismindbegantobefilledwithstrangeandweirdfancies。WhatgrimandghostlyrevelationsmightpassbetweenthisdeadscionoftheDorntonslyingonthetrestlesbeforethemandtheobscure，namelessticketofleavemanawaitinghisentranceinthevaultbelow！Theincongruityofthisthought，withthesmugcomplacencyoftheworldlymindedcongregationsittingaroundhim，andtheprobablesmilingcarelessnessoftherecklessrover——thecauseofall——evennowidlypacingthedeckonthedistantsea，touchedhimwithhorror。AndwhenaddedtothiswastheconsciousnessthatSibylEversleighwasforcedtobecomeaninnocentactorinthishideouscomedy，itseemedasmuchashecouldbear。Againhequestionedhimself，Washerighttowithholdhissecretfromher？
Invainhetriedtosatisfyhisconsciencethatshewashappierinherignorance。Theresolvehehadmadetokeephisrelationswithherapartfromhissecret，heknewnow，wasimpossible。Butonethingwaslefttohim。Untilhecoulddisclosehiswholestory——
untilhislipswereunsealedbyCaptainDornton——hemustneverseeheragain。Andthegrimsanctityoftheedificeseemedtomakethatresolutionavow。
Hedidnotdaretoraisehiseyesagaintowardherpew，lestasightofhersweet，gravefacemightshakehisresolution，andheslippedawayfirstamongthedepartingcongregation。HesentherabriefnotefromtheinnsayingthathewasrecalledtoLondonbyanearliertrain，andthathewouldbeobligedtoreturntoCaliforniaatonce，buthopingthatifhecouldbeofanyfurtherassistancetohershewouldwritetohimtothecareofthebank。Itwasaformalletter，andyethehadneverwrittenotherwisethanformallytoher。ThatnighthereachedLondon。OnthefollowingnighthesailedfromLiverpoolforAmerica。
Sixmonthshadpassed。Itwasdifficult，atfirst，forRandolphtopickuphisoldlifeagain；buthishabitualearnestnessandsinglenessofpurposestoodhimingoodstead，andavaguerumorthathehadmadesomepowerfulfriendsabroad，withthenearerfactthathehadaletterofcreditforathousandpounds，didnotlessenhisreputation。Hewasreinstalledandadvancedatthebank。Mr。Dingwallwasexceptionallygracious，andminuteinhisinquiriesregardingMissEversleigh’ssuccessiontotheDorntonproperty，withanoccasionalshrewdnessofeyeinhisinterrogationswhichrecalledtoRandolphthequestioningofMissEversleigh’sfriends，andwhichherespondedtoascautiously。Fortheyoungfellowremainedfaithfultohisvoweveninthinkingofher，andseemedtobeabsorbedentirelyinhisbusiness。YettherewasavagueambitionofpurposeinthisabsorptionthatwouldprobablyhavestartledthemoreconservativeEnglishmanhadheknownit。
HehadnotheardfromMissEversleighsinceheleft，norhadhereceivedanyresponsefromthecaptain。Indeed，hehadindulgedinlittlehopesofeither。Buthekeptstolidlyatwork，perhapswithalargertrustthanheknew。Andthen，oneday，hereceivedaletteraddressedinahandwritingthatmadehisheartleap，thoughhehadseenitbutonce，whenitconveyedthenewsofSirWilliamDornton’ssuddenillness。ItwasfromMissEversleigh，butthepostmarkwasCallao！Hetoreopentheenvelope，andforthenextfewmomentsforgoteverything——hisbusinessdevotion，hisloftypurpose，evenhissolemnvow。
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