“Sir,” said Tregenna, proudly, “I hope she will come round to a sensible state within a few days, and send me some message to say so. For otherwise I will not humble myself to write and demand one. I could not trust the discretion of a woman who would show so little confidence in her lover!” “Nay, let not your spirit carry you too far, or maybe you’ll lose her altogether!” said the vicar. “And I would not have that; for though I would fain have kept my daughter with me a little longer, had it been possible, I should not hope to find for her an honester man than I believe you to be!” “’Twill be the cruelest loss I have ever known, if I do lose her,” answered Tregenna, with emotion. “But yet I shall have no choice if she is so hard as to let me go without one word!” “You will not take with you the name of the house where her aunt resides?” suggested Parson Langney, wistfully. “No, sir. Let her send me a message, or I will not go to her!” retorted Tregenna. “I intrude, sir. You are engaged upon your sermon, I see. Let me wish you a good day!” And with a bow, and an air of great spirit, the young man left the house. Hard though it was to be stern and constant to his determination, Tregenna kept his word. He did not call again at the Parsonage, nor did he attempt to find out the address of Joan’s aunt. But he did certainly wander pretty frequently, in the course of the next few days, both in the direction of Hurst and of the town of Hastings, not without a secret hope that he would meet his offended sweetheart. He felt that he had a right to consider himself aggrieved, since she was condemning him unheard. But at the same time, his glances towards the Parsonage grew more and more wistful as the days went by, and he still received no letter, no message. Had the vindictive and merciless Ann done him an injury in death greater than any she had tried to do him in life? It seemed so; and the lieutenant, though he assumed a more and more jaunty air as the time passed, hid a heart of lead underneath. It was on the fourth day after the morning, when Ann’s body had been so mysteriously conveyed away, nobody knew whither, that Tregenna, on arriving at the village one morning, found the inhabitants all astir with some great excitement. They were congregating in groups about one particular cottage in the village; and on inquiry as to the reason, he learnt that it was the day of Ann Price’s funeral and that they were waiting for the body to be brought out. Tregenna lingered, on hearing this, and hoped that he might have an opportunity of meeting Tom, and of questioning him as to the mischief he had done. When the coffin, covered with a deep black pall, was brought out of the house, however, the lieutenant found no one he recognized among the four bearers.