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It was half-way down the glen that the full ignominy of his position came on Leith the shock of a thunder-clap A hateful bitterness against her preserver and the tricks of fate had been his solitary feeling, till suddenly he realized the part he had played, and saw himself for a naked coward Coward he called himself-without reflection; for in such a moment the mind thinks in crude colours and bold lines of division He set his teeth in his lip, and with a heart sinking at the shaht stalked into the farm stables where the Glenavelin servants were

He could not return to the Pool Alice was little hurt, so anxiety was needless; better let him leave Mr Stocks to enjoy his heroics in peace He would find an excuse; est his bitterness He cursed hihts What a pass had he coed it churlishly, childishly He flung froenerousness, and his sulky ill-nature They would explain by the first easy discreditable reason What eared he for their opinion when he knew the far greater shame in his heart?

For as he strode up the woodland path to Etterick the wrappings of surface passion fell off from his view of the past hour, and he saw the bald and naked ribs of his own incapacity It was a trivial incident to the world, but to himself a , a fool He had hesitated in a crisis, and another had taken his place A thousand incidents of ready courage in past sport and travel were forgotten, and on this single slip the terrible indictment was founded And the reason is at hand; this weakness had at last drawn near to his life's great passion

He found a deserted house, but its solitude was too noisy for his unrest Bidding the butler tell his friends that he had gone up the hill, he crossed the sloping lawns and plunged into the thicket of rhododendrons Soon he was out on the heather, with the great slopes, scorched with the heat, lying still and fragrant before hi himself down amid the soft brackens

It was the uish Hitherto his life had been equable and pleasant; his friends had adored him; the world had flattered him; he had been at peace with his own soul He had known his failings, but laughed at theling, conscience-stricken herd Now he had in very truth been flung neck and crop fro in the dust of abasement