’I’ve forgotten ’em all,’ he said. ’Whatever were the commissions I don’t know.’ The whip was shaking in his hand as a withy by a waterbrook. ’I shouldn’t wonder if I never came back,’ he said, then looked up the steps at Honor. It was the first time he had met her eye since Taverner Langford had left the house. ’I shan’t know what is to be till I come home,’ he muttered. ’The cuckoo-clock has just called seven, and it is three hours to ten. I think my heart will die within me at Tavistock. I shan’t be home till night. However I shall bear it and remember my commissions I do not know. Joe shall come with me. I can’t think. I can’t drive. I can do nothing.’ Then Honor came down the steps with her scarlet cloak about her shoulders, and her red stockings on her feet, slowly, looking deadly pale, and with dark rings about her eyes. ’Where are you going?’ asked the carrier, ’not coming with me to Tavistock?’ She shook her head. ’Are you—are you going to—to Langford?’ he asked. ’To say what?’—he held his breath. ’Yes!’ *CHAPTER XXXI.* *THE NEW MISTRESS.* ’Halloo! where be you off to, Red Spider?’ asked Farmer Nanspian, who was on Broadbury, when he saw Honor Luxmore in her scarlet cloak coming over the down. ’Stay, stay!’ he said, and put his hand to her chin to raise her face. ’You never come Chimsworthy road—leastways, you haven’t yet.—Where be you going to now?’ ’To Langford, sir.’ ’To Langford, eh?’ his face clouded. ’I didn’t think you was on good terms with Mr. Langford. Take care—take care! I won’t have he sloke away this Red Spider from Chimsworthy.’ Then he nodded, smiled, and went on. He little knew, he had no suspicion, that what he hinted at was really menaced. Honor went on to the old, lonely house, and asked to speak to Mr. Langford. She was shown into his parlour. Taverner was about the farm. She had some minutes to wait, and nerve herself for the interview, before he arrived. ’Well,’ said he when he came in, ’you are in good time. You have brought me the answer.’ ’Yes,’ she replied, looking down. ’Do I take that Yes as a reply to this question or to that I made yesterday?’ ’To both.’ ’There’s not another woman in all England to whom I’d have behaved as I have to you.’ ’I hope not, sir!’ ’I mean,’ said Langford, knitting his brows, and reddening, ’I mean, I would not have foregone a thousand pounds for any other. I would not have spared the man who had robbed me for any other woman’s sake.’ ’I have come here,’ she said, ’myself, instead of sending a message, because I wished to speak with you in private.’ ’There is no one here to overhear you. I have stopped up the keyhole; Mrs. Veale listened, she can catch nothing now.’ ’Mr. Langford, I was told by my father that you had promised to do something for my brother and sisters.’ ’Oh, do not be afraid—I will do something for them.’