But the promising words were obliterated by night. Next morning, and some time during every subsequent day, Hazel met Reddin under the dark yew-tree. 'You're very fond of the woods, my dear,' said Mrs. Marston one morning. 'It must be very nice and pleasant there just now.' 'No, it inna, Mrs. Marston. It's drodsome.' 'If I could start very early,' Mrs. Marston went on, 'please God I'd go with you. For you always go while Edward is visiting, and it's lonely for you.' Hazel fled down the batch that morning, and back up a shadowed ride to Reddin. 'You munna come never no more, Mr. Reddin!' she cried. 'The old lady's coming to-morrow-day, her says.' Reddin swore. He was getting on so nicely. Already Hazel went red and white at his pleasure, and though he had not attempted to kiss her, he had gained a hold on her imagination. Whenever he saw himself as others would see him if they knew, he hastily said, 'All's fair in love,' and shut his eyes. Also, he felt that he was doing evil in order to bring Hazel good. 'For how a girl can live in that stuffy hole with that old woman and that die-away fellow, Lord only knows!' he thought. 'She'll be twice the girl she is when she lives with a man that _is_ a man, and she can do as she likes with Undern so long as she's not stand-off with me. No, by--! I'll have no nonsense after this! Here I am, sitting under a tree like a dog with a treed cat!' So now he was very angry. His look was like a lash as he said: 'You made that up to get rid of me.' 'I didna!' cried Hazel, trembling. 'But oh! Mr. Reddin canna you leave me be? There's Ed'ard reading the many mansions bit to old Solomon Bache, as good as gold, and you'd ought to let me bide along of the old lady and knit.' 'I'll give you something better to do than knit soon.' 'What for will you?' 'Oh! you women! Are you a little innocent, Hazel? Or are you a d--d clever woman?' 'I dunno. But I canna come no more.' 'Won't, you mean. Very well.' 'What'n you mean, saying "very well" so choppy?' 'I mean that if a man chooses to see a woman, see her he will. It's his place to find ways. It's her privilege to hide if she likes, or do any d--d thing she likes. That only makes it more exciting. Now go back to your knitting. Fff! knitting!' The startled pigeons fled up with a steely clatter of wings at his sudden laughter. 'Oh! hushee! They'll hear and come out.' 'I don't care. If the dead heard and came out and stood between us, I shouldn't care! What are you whispering?' Hazel had said, 'Whoever she be, have her he will, for certain sure.' She would not repeat it, and he turned sharply away in a huff. She also turned away with a sigh of relief, but almost immediately looked back, and watched his retreating figure until it was lost in the trees. Chapter 20