Larry Nanspian was a spoiled lad. The girls of Bratton made much of him. He was a fine young man, and he was heir to a good estate. The girls not only did not go out of their way to avoid him, but they threw themselves, unblushingly, ostentatiously in his path; and their efforts to catch him were supported by their mothers. The girls hung about the lanes after church hoping to have a word with him, and sighed and cast him languishing glances during Divine worship. Their mothers flattered him. This was enough to make the lad conceited. Only Honor kept away from him. She scarcely looked at him, and held him at a distance. The other girls accepted his most impudent sallies without offence; he did not venture a jest with Honor. Her refusal of the homage which he had come to regard as his due piqued him, and forced him to think of Honor more often than of any other girl in the place. He did not know his own mind about her, whether he liked or whether he disliked her, but he knew that he was chagrined at her indifference. Sulky, he sauntered on to Broadbury, towards Wellon’s Cairn. The moor was stretched around, unbroken by a hedge, or wall, or tree. Before him rose the Tumulus. ’Hah!’ he said to himself, ’she was ready to talk to me here; we were to have been good friends, but that cursed White Hare brought us all ill-luck.’ As he spoke to his surprise he saw something white emerge from the cutting in the side. He stood still, and in a moment Mrs. Veale leaped out of the hollow, went over the side, and disappeared down a dyke that ran in the direction of Langford. The apparition and disappearance were so sudden, the sight of the woman so surprising, that Hillary was hardly sure he was in his senses, and not the prey to a hallucination. He was made very uncomfortable by what he had seen, and instead of going on towards the mound, he turned and walked away. ’This is wonderful,’ he said. ’Whatever could take Mrs. Veale to Wellon’s Cairn? If it were she—and I’d not take my oath on it—I’m too bewildered to guess her purpose.’ He halted and mused. ’I always said she was a witch, and now I believe it. She’s been there after her devilries, to get some bones or dust of the gibbeted man, or a link of his chain, to work some further wickedness with. I’ll see Honor again, I will, for all the airs she gives herself, and warn her not to sit on Wellon’s mount. It’s not safe.’ *CHAPTER XII.* *LANGFORD.* Honor put on her hat and threw a kerchief over her shoulders, and took her little brother Willy by the hand. ’Whither are you going, Honor?’ asked Kate. ’I am going to find a place for Charles, as he will not seek one for himself. I have turned him out of this house, and must secure him shelter elsewhere.’ ’Who will have him?’ asked Kate contemptuously. She was less forbearing with Charles than Honor. Honor did not answer immediately.