Butsheherselfhadnotrealisedhowhardlyhewouldtakeit。
“Ididn’t——Icouldn’t——“
“There’sthedog-man，“hestammered。“He’llhavestolenhim。“Thenhewasoffoutoftheroominaninstant。
AndthatwasmorethanMarycouldhear。Sherealised，evenasshefollowedhim，thatshewasgivingherwholecaseaway，thatshewasnow，asalways，weakwhensheshouldbestrong，softwhensheshouldbehard，goodwhensheshouldbewicked，wickedwhensheshouldbegood。Shecouldnothelpherself。Withtremblinglimbsandaheartthatseemedtobehammeringherbodyintopiecesshefollowedhimout。Shefoundhiminthehall，tuggingathiscoat。
“Whereareyougoing？“shesaidweakly。
“Going？“heansweredfiercely。“Wheredoyouthink？“Heglaredather。“Justlikeyou。“Hebrokeoff，suddenlyappealingtoher。
“Mary，CAN’Tyouremember？Itwillbegettingdarksoon，andifwehavetowaituntilto-morrowthedog-manwillhavegothim。Atanyrate，hehadhiscollar——“
ThenMarybrokeout。Sheburstintosobs，pushedherhandintoherdress，andheldoutthecollartohim。
“Thereitis！Thereitis！“shesaidhysterically。
“You’vegotit？“Hestaredather，suspicionslowlycomingtohim。
“Buthow——？Whathaveyoudone？“
Shelookedupathimwild-eyed，thetearsmakingdirtylinesonherface，herhandouttowardshim。
“Itookitoff。IshutHamletintothebarnatMellotFarm。Iwantedhimtobelost。Ididn’twantyoutohavehim。Ihatedhim——alwaysbeingwithyou，andmenever。“
Jeremymovedback，andatthesuddenlookinhiseyeshersobbingceased，shecaughtherbreathandstaredathimwithasillyfixedstareasarabbitquiversbeforeasnake。
Jeremysaidinhisordinaryvoice：
“YoushutHamletup？Youdidn’twanthimtobefound？“
Shenoddedherheadseveraltimesasthoughnowshemustconvincehimquicklyofthis——
“Yes，yes，yes。Idid……IknowIshouldn’t，butIcouldn’thelpit——“
Heclutchedherarm，andthenshookherwithasuddenwaveoffiercephysicalangerthatwasutterlyunlikehim，and，therefore，themoreterrifying。
“Youwicked，wicked——Youbeast，Mary！“
Shecouldonlysob，herheadhangingdown。Helethergo。
“Whatbarnwasit？“
Shedescribedtheplace。
Hegaveheranotherlookofcontemptandthenrushedoff，runningacrossthecourtyard。
Therewasstillnooneinthehall；shecouldgouptoherroomwithoutthefearofbeingdisturbed。Shefoundtheroom，allwhiteandblacknowwiththegatheringdusk。Beyondthewindowtheeveningbreezewasrustlinginthedarktreesofthegardenandtheboomoftheseacouldbeheardfaintly。Marysat，whereshealwayssatwhenshewasunhappy，insidethewardrobewithherheadamongsttheclothes。Theyinsomewaycomfortedher；shewasnotsolonelywiththem，nordidshefeelsostronglytheemptydistancesofthelongroom，thewhitelightofthewindow-frames，northemysterioussecrecyofthehighelmsknockingtheirheadstogetherinthegardenoutside。
Shehadafitofhystericalcrying，bitingthehangingclothesbetweenherteeth，feelingsuddenlysickandtiredandexhausted，withflamingeyesandadry，parchedthroat。Whyhadsheeverdonesuchathing，shelovingJeremyasshedid？Wouldheeverforgiveher？No，never；shesawthatinhisface。Perhapshewould——ifhefoundHamletquicklyandcameback。PerhapsHamletneverwouldbefound。ThenJeremy’sheartwouldbebroken。
Shesleptfromutterexhaustion，andwassofound，whentheroomwasquitedarkandonlyshadowsmovedinit，byhermother。
“Why，Mary！“saidMrs。Cole。“Whatareyoudoinghere？Wecouldn’tthinkwhereyouwere。Andwhere’sJeremy？“
“Jeremy！“Shestartedup，rememberingeverything。
“Hasn’thecomeback？Oh，he’slostandhe’llbekilled，anditwillbeallmyfault！“Sheburstintoanotherfitofwildhystericalcrying。
Hermothertookherarm。“Mary，explain——Whathaveyoudone？“
Maryexplained，herteethchattering，herheadachingsothatshecouldnotsee。
“Andyoushuthimuplikethat？Whatever——Oh，Mary，youwickedgirl！
AndJeremy——He’sbeenawaytwohoursnow——“
Sheturnedoff，leavingMaryaloneintheblackroom。
Marywaslefttoeveryterrorthatcanbesetalonely，hystericalchild——terrorofJeremy’sfate，terrorofHamlet’sloss，terrorofherowncrimes，aboveall，terrorofthelonelyroom，thewavingelmsandthegatheringdark。Shecouldnotmove；shecouldnotevenclosethedoorofthewardrobe，intowhosesheltershehadagaincrept。Shestaredatthewhitesheetofthewindow，withitsblackbarslikerailingsanditsghostlyhintingofamoonthatwouldsoonbeupabovethetrees。Everynoisefrightenedher，theworkingofthe“separator“inadistantpartofthefarm，thewhistlingofsomefarm-handoutintheyard，thevoiceofsomeboy，“coo-ee“-ingfaintly，thelingeringechoofthevanishedday——alltheseseemedtoaccuseher，topointfingersather，towarnherofsomeawfulimpendingpunishment。“Ah！you’rethelittlegirl，“theyseemedtosay，“wholostJeremy’sdogandbrokeJeremy’sheart。“Shewassurethatsomeonewasbeneathherbed。Thatoldterrorhauntedherwithanalmosthumorouspersistencyeverynightbeforeshewenttosleep，butto-nighttherewasaghastlycertaintyandimminenceaboutitthatfrozeherblood。Shecrouchedupagainstthehangingskirts，gazingattheblacklinebetweenthefloorandthewhitesheets，expectingateverysecondtoseeaprotrudingblackmask，bloodshoteyes，acoarsehand。Thememoryoftheburglarythattheyhadhadinthespringcameuponherwithredoubledforce。Ah！surely，surelysomeonewasthere！Sheheardamovement，ascrapingofabootuponthefloor，thethickhurriedbreathingofsomedesperatevillain……
Thenthesefearsgavewaytosomethingworsethanthemall，thecertaintythatJeremywasdead。Ridiculouspicturespassedbeforeher，ofJeremyhangingfromatree，Jeremylyingfrozeninthewood，thefaithfulHamletdeadathisside，Jeremystungbyanadderandsuccumbingtohishorribletortures，Jeremysurroundedbyviolentmen，whosnatchedHamletfromhim，beathimontheheadandlefthimfordeadontheground。
Shepassedwhatseemedtoherhoursoftortureunderthesehorribleimaginings，tiredout，almostoutofhermindwiththehysteriaofherloneliness，herimaginationandherconscience；shepassedintoakindofapathyofunhappiness，thinkingnowonlyofJeremy，longingforhim，beseechinghimtocomeback，tellingtheemptymoonlitroomthatshenevermeantit；thatshewoulddoeverythinghewantedifonlyhecamebacktoher；thatshewasawickedgirl；
thatshewouldneverbewickedagain……Andshetookherpunishmentalone。
Afterendlessagesofdarknessandterrorandmiserysheheardvoices——thenHISvoice！Shejumpedoutofthewardrobeandlistened。
Yes；itWAShisvoice。Shepushedbackthedoor，creptdownthepassage，andcamesuddenlyuponalittlegroup，withJeremyinitsmidst，crowdedtogetheratthetopofthestairs。Jeremywaswrappedupinhisfather’sheavycoat，andlookedverysmallandimpishashepeeredfromoutofit。Hewasgreatlyexcited，hiseyesshining，hismouthsmiling，hischeeksflushed。
HisaudienceconsistedofHelen，Mrs。Cole，MissJones，andAuntAmy。Hedescribedtothemhowhehadrunalongtheroad“formilesandmilesandmiles，“howatlasthehadfoundthefarm，hadrungthebell，andinquired，anddiscoveredHamletlickingupsugaryteainthefarmkitchen；therehadthenbeenarapturousmeeting，andhehadboldlydeclaredthathecouldfindhiswayhomeagainwithoutaid。“Theywantedmetobedrivenhomeintheirtrap，butIwasn’tgoingtohavethat。They’dbeenatthefairallday，anddidn’twanttogooutagain。Icouldseethat。“SoheandHamletstartedgailyontheirwalkhome，andthen，insomewayoranother，hetookthewrongturn，andsuddenlytheywereinMellotWood。“Itwasdarkasanything，youknow，althoughtherewasgoingtobeamoon。Wecouldn’tseeathing，andthenIgotlosterandloster。Atlastwejustsatunderatree。Therewasnothingmoretodo！“Then，apparently，Jeremyhadslept，andhad，finally，beenfoundintheproperromanticmannerbyJimandhisfather。
“Well，all’swellthatendswell，“saidAuntAmy，withasniff。InspiteofthatmomentarysoftnessoverthedefeatoftheDean’sErnestshelikedheryoungnephewnobetterthanofold。Shehaddesiredthatheshouldbepunishedforthis，butasshelookedatthemeltingeyesofMrs。ColeandMissJonesshehadverylittlehope。
Marywasforgotten；noonenoticedher。
“Bed，“saidMrs。Cole。
“Really，whataterribleaffair，“saidMissJones。“AndIcan’thelpfeelingthatitwasmyfault。“
“WhatMary——“beganMrs。Cole。Andthenshestopped。ShehadperhapssomesensethatMaryhadalreadyreceivedsufficientpunishment。
Marywaited，standingagainstthepassagewall。Jeremy，whohadnotseenher，vanishedintohisroom。Shewaited，thenpluckingupallhercouragewiththedesperatesuffocatingsenseofaprisonerlayinghimselfbeneaththeguillotine，sheknockedtimidlyonhisdoor。
Hesaid：“Comein，“andentering，shesawhim，inhisbraces，standingonachairtryingtoputthepictureentitled“Daddy’sChristmas“straightuponitsnail。Thesightofthisfamiliartask——
thepicturewouldneverhangstraight，althougheverydayJeremy，who，strangelyenough，hadaneyetosuchmatters，triedtocorrectit——cheeredheralittle。
“Won’titgostraight？“shesaidfeebly。
“No，itwon’t，“hebegan，andthen，suddenlyrealisingthewholeposition，stopped。
“I’msorry，Jeremy，“shemuttered，hangingherheaddown。
“Oh，that’sallright，“heanswered，turningawayfromherandpullingatthestring。“Itwasabeastlythingtodoallthesame，“
headded。
“Willyouforgiveme？“sheasked。
“Oh，thereisn’tanyforgivenessaboutit。Girlsarequeer，I
suppose。Idon’tunderstandthemmyself。There，that’sbetter……I
say，itwassimplybeastlyunderthattree——“
“Wasit？“
“Beastly！Therewassomethinghowlingsomewhere——acatorsomething。“
“Youdoforgiveme，don’tyou？“
“Yes，yes……Isay，isthatrightnow？Oh，itwon’tstaythere。