Nothinginhisexperiencesuppliedhimwithananswer。
Hewasstilllookingupatthesehinges，withglancewhichtookinatthesametimethenearnessandextremeheightofthetreesbywhichthissylvanmysterywassurrounded，whenasoundfromtheroadontheoppositesideofthehollowbroughthisconjecturestoastandstillandsenthimhurryingontothenearestpointfromwhichthatroadbecamevisible。
Ateamwasapproaching。Hecouldheartheheavytreadofhorsesworkingtheirlaboriouswaythroughtreeswhoseobstructingbranchesswishedbeforeandbehindthem。Theywerebringinginaloadforthisshed，whoseuseshewouldconsequentlysoonunderstand。
Gratefulforhisgoodluck-forhiswasacuriositywhichcouldnotstanddefeat-hetookafewstepsintothewood，andfromthevantagepointofaconcealingclusterofbushes，fixedhiseyesuponthespotwheretheroadopenedintothehollow。
Somethingbluemovedthere，andinanothermoment，tohisgreatamazement，theresteppedintoviewthespiritedformofDorisScott，whoifhehadgiventhematterathoughthewouldhavesupposedtobesittingjustthenbythebedsideofherpatient，ahalfmilebackontheroad。
Shewasdressedforthewoodsinablueskirtandjacketandmovedlikealeaderinfrontofaheavilyladenwagonnowcomingtoastandstillbeforethecloselyshutshed-ifsuchwemaycallit。”Ihaveakey，”soshecalledouttothedriverwhohadpausedfororders。”WhenIswingthedoorswide，drivestraightin。”
Sweetwatertookalookatthewagon。Itwaspiledhighwithlargewoodenboxesonmorethanoneofwhichhecouldseescrawledthewords：0。Brotherson，Derby，Pa。
Thisexplainedherpresence，buttheboxestoldnothing。Theywereofallsizesandshapes，andsomeofthemsolargethattheassistanceofanothermanwasneededtohandlethem。Sweetwaterwasabouttoofferhisserviceswhenasecondmanappearedfromsomewhereintherear，andthedetective’sattentionbeingthusreleasedfromtheloadoutofwhichhecouldmakenothing，heallowedittoconcentrateupontheyounggirlwhohaditinchargeandwho，formanyreasons，wastheonepersonofsupremeimportancetohim。
Shehadswungopenthetwowidedoors，andnowstoodwaitingforhorseandwagontoenter。Withlocksflyingfree-sheworenobonnet-shepresentedapictureofeverincreasinginteresttoSweetwater。Trulyshewasaverybeautifulgirl，buoyant，healthyandsweet；asunlikeaspossiblehispreconceivednotionsofMissChalloner’shumblelittleprotegee。Herbrownhairofarichchestnuthue，wasinitselfawonder。Onnohead，eveninthegreatcityhehadjustleft，hadheseensuchabundance，heldinsuchmodestrestraint。Naturehadbeenpartialtothislittleworkinggirlandgivenherthechevelureofaqueen。
Butthiswasnothing。Noonesawthisaureolewhenoncetheeyehadrestedonherfeaturesandcaughtthefullnobilityoftheirexpressionandthelurkingsweetnessunderlyinghereverylook。
Sheherselfmadethecharmandwhetherplacedhighorplacedlow，musteverattracttheeyeandafterwardsluretheheart，byanindividualitywhichhardlyneededperfectfeaturesinwhichtoexpressitself。
Youngyet，butgifted，asgirlsofherclassoftenare，withthenicestinstinctsandpurestaspirations，sheshowedtheelevationofherthoughtsbothinherglanceandthepoisewithwhichsheawaitedevents。Sweetwaterwatchedherwithadmirationasshesuperintendedtheunloadingofthewagonandthedisposalofthevariousboxesonthefloorwithin；butasnothingshesaidduringtheprocesswascalculatedtoaffordtheleastenlightenmentinregardtotheircontents，hepresentlyweariedofhisinactionandturnedbacktowardsthehighway，comfortinghimselfwiththereflectionthatinafewshorthourshewouldhavehertohimselfwhennothingbutablunderonhispartshouldhinderhimfromsoundingheryoungmindandgettingsuchanswerstohisquestionsastheaffairinwhichhewassodeeplyinterested，demanded。
I
SWEETWATERRETURNS”Youseemeagain，MissScott。Ihopethatyesterday’sintrusionhasnotprejudicedyouagainstme。”Ihavenoprejudices，washersimplebutfirmreply。”Iamonlyhurriedandveryanxious。ThedoctoriswithMr。Brothersonjustnow；buthehasseveralotherequallysickpatientstovisitandI
darenotkeephimheretoolong。”Thenyouwillwelcomemyabruptness。MissScott，hereisaletterfromMr。Challoner。Itwillexplainmyposition。Asyouwillsee，hisonlydesireistoestablishthefactthathisdaughterdidnotcommitsuicide。Shewasallhehadintheworld，andthethoughtthatshecould，foranyreason，takeherownlifeisunbearabletohim。Indeed，hewillnotbelieveshedidso，evidenceornoevidence。MayIaskifyouagreewithhim?YouhaveseenMissChalloner，Ibelieve。Doyouthinkshewasthewomantoplungeadaggerinherheartinaplaceaspublicasahotelreceptionroom?”No，Mr。Sweetwater。I’mapoorworkinggirl，withverylittleeducationandalmostnoknowledgeoftheworldandsuchladiesasshe。Butsomethingtellsmeforallthat，thatshewastoonicetodothis。Isawheronceanditmademewanttobequietandkindandbeautifullikeher。Inevershallthinkshedidanythingsohorrible。NorwillMr。Brothersoneverbelieveit。Hecouldnotandlive。Yousee，Iamtalkingtoyouasifyouknewhim，-thekindofmanheisandjusthowhefeelstowardsMissChalloner。Heis-Hervoicetrailedoffandalook，uncommonandalmostelevated，illuminedherface。”Iwillnottellyouwhatheis；youwillknow，ifyoueverseehim。””Ifthefavourableopinionofawholetownmakesagoodfellow，heoughttobeofthebest，”returnedSweetwater，withhismosthonestsmile。”IhearbutonestoryofhimwhereverIturn。””Thereisbutonestorytotell，”shesmiled，andherheaddroopedsoftly，butwithnoairofself-consciousness。
Sweetwaterwatchedherforamoment，andthenremarked：”I’mgoingtotakeonethingforgranted；thatyouareasanxiousaswearetoclearMissChalloner’smemory。””0yes，0yes。””Morethanthat，thatyouarereadyandeagertohelpus。Yourverylooksshowthat。””Youareright；Iwoulddoanythingtohelpyou。Butwhocanagirllikemedo?Nothing；nothing。Iknowtoolittle。Mr。
ChallonermustseethatwhenyoutellhimI’monlythedaughterofaforeman。””AndafriendofMr。Brotherson，”supplementedSweetwater。”Yes，”shesmiled，”hewouldwantmetosayso。Butthat’shisgoodness。Idon’tdeservethehonour。””Hisfriendandthereforehisconfidante，”Sweetwatercontinued。”HehastalkedtoyouaboutMissChalloner?””Hehadto。Therewasnobodyelsetowhomhecouldtalk；andthen，Ihadseenherandcouldunderstand。””Wheredidyouseeher?””InNewYork。Iwasthereoncewithfather，whotookmetoseeher。
IthinkshehadaskedMr。BrothersontosendhislittlefriendtoherhotelifeverwecametoNewYork。””Thatwassometimeago?””WewerethereinJune。””AndyouhavecorrespondedeversincewithMissChalloner?””Shehasbeengoodenoughtowrite，andIhaveventuredattimestoanswerher。”
ThesuspicionwhichmighthavecometosomemenfoundnoharbourinSweetwater’smind。Thisyounggirlwasbeautiful，therewasnodenyingthat，beautifulinasomewhatstartlingandquiteunusualway；buttherewasnothinginherbearing，nothinginMissChalloner’sletterstoindicatethatshehadbeenacauseforjealousyintheNewYorklady’smind。He，therefore，ignoredthispossibility，pursuinghisinquiryalongthedirectlineshehadalreadylaidoutforhimself。Smilingalittle，butinaveryearnestfashion，hepointedtothelettershestillheldandquietlysaid：”RememberthatI’mnotspeakingformyself，MissScott，whenIseemalittletoopersistentandinquiring。YouhavecorrespondedwithMissChalloner；youhavebeentoldthefactofhersecretengagementtoMr。Brothersonandyouhavebeenwitnesstohisconductandmannerforthewholetimehehasbeenseparatedfromher。Doyou，whenyouthinkofitcarefully，recallanythinginthewholestoryofthisromancewhichwouldthrowlightuponthecrueltragedywhichhassounexpectedlyendedit?Anything，MissScott?Strawsshowwhichwaythestreamflows。”
Shewasvehement，instantlyvehement，inherdisclaimer。”Icanansweratonce，saidshe，”becauseIhavethoughtofnothingelseforalltheseweeks。Hereallwaswell。Mr。Brothersonwashopefulandhappyandbelievedinherhappinessandwillingnesstowaitforhissuccess。Andthissuccesswascomingsofast！Oh，howcanweevertellhim！Howcanweeveranswerhisquestionseven，orkeephimsatisfiedandcalmuntilheisstrongenoughtohearthetruth。I’vehadtoacknowledgealreadythatIhavehadnoletterfromherforweeks。Sheneverwrotetohimdirectly，youknow，andsheneversenthimmessages，butheknewthatalettertome，wasalsoalettertohimandIcanseethatheistroubledbythislongsilence，thoughhesaysIwasrightnottoletherknowofhisillnessandthatImustcontinuetokeepherinignoranceofittillheisquitewellagainandcanwritetoherhimself。Itishardtohearhimtalklikethisandnotlooksadorfrightened。
SweetwaterrememberedMissChalloner’slastletter，andwishedhehaditheretogiveher。Indefaultofthis，hesaid：”Perhapsthisnothearingmayactinthewayofapreparationfortheshockwhichmustcometohimsoonerorlater。Letushopeso，MissScott。
Hereyesfilled。”Nothingcanpreparehim，”saidshe。Thenadded，withayearningaccent，”IwishIwereolderorhadmoreexperience。Ishouldnotfeelsohelpless。ButthegratitudeIowehimwillgivemestrengthwhenIneeditmost。OnlyIwishthesufferingmightbemineratherthanhis。”
Unconsciousofanyself-betrayal，sheliftedhereyes，startlingSweetwaterbythebeautyofherlook。”Idon’tthinkI’msosorryforOswaldBrotherson，”hemurmuredtohimselfashelefther。”He’samorefortunatemanthanheknows，howeverdeeplyhemayfeelthelossofhisfirstsweetheart。
ThateveningthedisappointedSweetwatertookthetrainforNewYork。Hehadfailedtoadvancethecaseinhandonewhit，yetthecountenanceheshowedMr。Gryceattheirfirstinterviewwasnotawhollygloomyone。”Fiftydollarstothebad！”washisfirstlaconicgreeting。”AllIhavelearnediscomprisedinthesetwostatements。ThesecondO。B。isafinefellow；andnotintentionallythecauseofourtragedy。Hedoesnotevenknowaboutit。He’sdownwiththefeveratpresentandtheyhaven’ttoldhim。Whenhe’sbetterwemayhearsomething；butIdoubteventhat。”Tellmeaboutit。”
Sweetwatercomplied；andsuchistheunconsciousnesswithwhichweoftenencounterthepivotalcircumstanceuponwhichourfutureorthefutureofourmostcherishedundertakinghangs，heomittedfromhisstory，thesolediscoverywhichwasofanyrealimportanceintheunravellingofthemysteryinwhichtheyweresodeeplyconcerned。Hesaidnothingofhiswalkinthewoodsorofwhathesawthere。”Ameagrehaul，”heremarkedattheclose。”Butthat’sasitshouldbe，ifyouandIarerightinourimpressionsandtheclewtothismysterylieshereinthecharacteranddaringofOrlandoBrotherson。That’swhyI’mnotdowninthemouth。Whichgoestoshowwhatagripmyprejudiceshaveonme。””Asprejudicedasabulldog。””Exactly。Bytheway，whatnewsofthegentlemanI’vejustmentioned?Isheassereneinmyabsenceaswhenundermyeye?””Moreso；helookslikeamanonthevergeoftriumph。ButIfearthetriumphheanticipateshasnothingtodowithouraffairs。Allhistimeandthoughtistakenupwithhisinvention。””Youdiscourageme，sir。AndnowtoseeMr。Challoner。SmallcomfortcanIcarryhim。”