irregularly； and softly directing the jets against the sides of the
pail。
Owen could contain himself no longer； much as his mind dreaded
anything of the nature of ridicule。 'The people all seem to look at
me； as if something seriously concerned me； is it this stupid
matter； or what is it？'
'Surely； sir； you know better than anybody else if such a strange
thing concerns you。'
'What strange thing？'
'Don't you know！ His confessing to Parson Raunham。'
'What did he confess？ Tell me。'
'If you really ha'n't heard； 'tis this。 He was as usual on duty at
the station on the night of the fire last year； otherwise he
wouldn't ha' known it。'
'Known what？ For God's sake tell； man！'
But at this instant the two opposite gates of the dairy…yard； one on
the east； the other on the west side； slammed almost simultaneously。
The rector from one； Springrove from the other； came striding across
the barton。
Edward was nearest； and spoke first。 He said in a low voice： 'Your
sister is not legally married！ His first wife is still living！ How
it comes out I don't know！'
'O； here you are at last； Mr。 Graye； thank Heaven！' said the rector
breathlessly。 'I have been to the Old House； and then to Miss
Aldclyffe's looking for yousomething very extraordinary。' He
beckoned to Owen； afterwards included Springrove in his glance； and
the three stepped aside together。
'A porter at the station。 He was a curious nervous man。 He had
been in a strange state all day； but he wouldn't go home。 Your
sister was kind to him； it seems； this afternoon。 When she and her
husband had gone； he went on with his work； shifting luggage…vans。
Well； he got in the way； as if he were quite lost to what was going
on； and they sent him home at last。 Then he wished to see me。 I
went directly。 There was something on his mind； he said； and told
it。 About the time when the fire of last November twelvemonth was
got under； whilst he was by himself in the porter's room； almost
asleep； somebody came to the station and tried to open the door。 He
went out and found the person to be the lady he had accompanied to
Carriford earlier in the evening； Mrs。 Manston。 She asked； when
would be another train to London？ The first the next morning； he
told her； was at a quarter…past six o'clock from Budmouth； but that
it was express； and didn't stop at Carriford Roadit didn't stop
till it got to Anglebury。 〃How far is it to Anglebury？〃 she said。
He told her； and she thanked him； and went away up the line。 In a
short time she ran back and took out her purse。 〃Don't on any
account say a word in the village or anywhere that I have been here；
or a single breath about meI'm ashamed ever to have come。〃 He
promised； she took out two sovereigns。 〃Swear it on the Testament
in the waiting…room；〃 she said； 〃and I'll pay you these。〃 He got
the book； took an oath upon it； received the money； and she left
him。 He was off duty at half…past five。 He has kept silence all
through the intervening time till now； but lately the knowledge he
possessed weighed heavily upon his conscience and weak mind。 Yet
the nearer came the wedding…day； the more he feared to tell。 The
actual marriage filled him with remorse。 He says your sister's
kindness afterwards was like a knife going through his heart。 He
thought he had ruined her。'
'But whatever can be done？ Why didn't he speak sooner？' cried Owen。
'He actually called at my house twice yesterday；' the rector
continued； 'resolved； it seems； to unburden his mind。 I was out
both timeshe left no message； and； they say； he looked relieved
that his object was defeated。 Then he says he resolved to come to
you at the Old House last nightstarted； reached the door； and
dreaded to knockand then went home again。'
'Here will be a tale for the newsmongers of the county；' said Owen
bitterly。 'The idea of his not opening his mouth soonerthe
criminality of the thing！'
'Ah； that's the inconsistency of a weak nature。 But now that it is
put to us in this way； how much more probable it seems that she
should have escaped than have been burnt'
'You will； of course； go straight to Mr。 Manston； and ask him what
it all means？' Edward interrupted。
'Of course I shall！ Manston has no right to carry off my sister
unless he's her husband；' said Owen。 'I shall go and separate
them。'
'Certainly you will；' said the rector。
'Where's the man？'
'In his cottage。'
''Tis no use going to him； either。 I must go off at once and
overtake themlay the case before Manston； and ask him for
additional and certain proofs of his first wife's death。 An up…
train passes soon； I think。'
'Where have they gone？' said Edward。
'To Parisas far as Southampton this afternoon； to proceed to…
morrow morning。'
'Where in Southampton？'
'I really don't knowsome hotel。 I only have their Paris address。
But I shall find them by making a few inquiries。'
The rector had in the meantime been taking out his pocket…book； and
now opened it at the first page； whereon it was his custom every
month to gum a small railway time…tablecut from the local
newspaper。
'The afternoon express is just gone；' he said； holding open the
page； 'and the next train to Southampton passes at ten minutes to
six o'clock。 Now it wantslet me seefive…and…forty minutes to
that time。 Mr。 Graye； my advice is that you come with me to the
porter's cottage； where I will shortly write out the substance of
what he has said； and get him to sign it。 You will then have far
better grounds for interfering between Mr。 and Mrs。 Manston than if
you went to them with a mere hearsay story。'
The suggestion seemed a good one。 'Yes； there will be time before
the train starts；' said Owen。
Edward had been musing restlessly。
'Let me go to Southampton in your place； on account of your
lameness？' he said suddenly to Graye。
'I am much obliged to you； but I think I can scarcely accept the
offer；' returned Owen coldly。 'Mr。 Manston is an honourable man；
and I had much better see him myself。'
'There is no doubt；' said Mr。 Raunham； 'that the death of his wife
was fully believed in by himself。'
'None whatever；' said Owen； 'and the news must be broken to him； and
the question of other proofs asked； in a friendly way。 It would not
do for Mr。 Springrove to appear in the case at all。' He still spoke
rather coldly； the recollection of the attachment between his sister
and Edward was not a pleasant one to him。
'You will never find them；' said Edward。 'You have never been to
Southampton； and I know every house there。'
'That makes little difference；' said the rector； 'he will have a
cab。 Certainly Mr。 Graye is the proper man to go on the errand。'
'Stay； I'll telegraph to ask them to meet me when I arrive at the
terminus；' said Owen； 'that is； if their train has not already
arrived。'
Mr。 Raunham pulled out his pocket…book again。 'The two…thirty train
reached Southampton a quarter of an hour ago；' he said。
It was too late to catch them at the station。 Nevertheless； the
rector suggested that it would be worth while to direct a message to
'all the respectable hotels in Southampton；' on the chance of its
finding them； and thus saving a deal of personal labour to Owen in
searching about the place。
'I'll go and telegraph； whilst you return to the man；' said Edward
an offer which was accepted。 Graye and the rector then turned off
in the direction of the porter's cottage。
Edward； to despatch the message at once； hurriedly followed the road
towards the station； still restlessly thinking。 All Owen's
proceedings were based on the assumption； natural under the
circumstances； of Manston's good faith； and that he would readily
acquiesce in any arrangement which should clear up the mystery。
'But；' thought Edward； 'supposeand Heaven forgive me； I cannot
help supposing itthat Manston is not that honourable man； what
will a young and inexperienced fellow like Owen do？ Will he not be
hoodwinked by some specious story or another； framed to last till
Manston gets tired of poor Cytherea？ And then the disclosure of the
truth will ruin and blacken both their futures irremediably。'
However； he proceeded to execute his commission。 This he put in the
form of a simple request from Owen to Manston； that Manston would
come to the Southampton platform； and wait for Owen's arrival； as he
valued his reputation。 The message was directed as the rector had
suggested； Edward guaranteeing to the clerk who sent it off that
every expense connected with the search would be paid。
No sooner had the telegram been despatched than his heart sank
within him at the want of foresight shown in sending it。 Had
Manston； all the time； a knowledge that his first wife lived； the
telegram would be a forewarning which might enable him to defeat
Owen still more signally。
Whilst the machine was still giving off its multitudinous series of
raps； Edward heard a powerful rush under the shed outside； followed
by a long sonorous creak。 It was a train of some sort； stealing
softly into the station； and it was an up…train。 There was the ring
of a bell。 It was certainly a passenger train。
Yet the booking…office window was closed。
'Ho； ho； John； seventeen minutes after time and only three stations
up the line。 The incline again？' The voice was the
stationmaster's； and the reply seemed to come from the guard。
'Yes； the other side of the cutting。 The thaw has made it all in a
perfect cloud of fog； and the rails are as slippery as glass。 We
had to bring them through the cutting at twice。'
'Anybody else for the four…forty…five express？' the voice continued。
The few passengers； having crossed over to the other side long
before this time； had taken their places at once。
A conviction suddenly broke in upon Edward's mind； then a wish
overwhelmed him。 The convictionas startling as it was suddenwas
that Manston was a villain； who at some earlier time had discovered
that his wife lived； and had bribed her to keep out of sight； that
he might possess Cytherea。 The wish wasto proceed at once by this
very train that was starting； find Manston before he would expect
from the words of the telegram （