This change wrought by time on her bodily form caused the past to seem to her a very long way off. Something had occurred that made her a different being. She was like the elder sister of that laughing girl who had known Pete. To think of that little sister as having a kind of control over her was impossible. Kate never did think of it. Nevertheless, she held her tongue. Her people were taken in by the episode of Ross Christian. According to their view, Kate loved the man and still longed for him, and that was why she never talked of Pete. Philip was disgusted with her unfaithfulness to his friend, and that was the reason of his absence. She never talked of Philip either, but they, on their part, talked of him perpetually, and fed her secret passion with his praises. Thus for three years these two were like two prisoners in neighbouring cells, very close and yet very far apart, able to hear each other's voices, yet never to see each other's faces, yearning to come together and to touch, but unable to do so because of the wall that stood between. Since the fight, Cæsar had removed her from all duties of the inn, and one day in the spring she was in the gable house peeling rushes to make tallow candles when Kelly, the postman, passed by the porch, where Nancy Joe was cleaning the candle-irons. “Heard the newses, Nancy?” said Kelly. “Mr. Philip Christian is let off two years' time and called to the bar.” Nancy looked grave. “I'm sure the young gentleman is that quiet and studdy,” she said. “What are they doing on him?” “Only making him a full advocate, woman,” said Kelly. “You don't say?” said Nancy. “He passed his examination before the Govenar's man yesterday.” “Aw, there now!” “I took the letter to Ballure this evening.” “It's like you would, Mr. Kelly. That's the boy for you. I'm always saying it. 'Deed I am, though, but there's ones here that won't have it at all, at all.” “Miss Kate, you mane? We know the raison. He's lumps in her porridge, woman. Good-day to you, Nancy.” “Yes, it's doing a nice day enough, Mr. Kelly,” said Nancy, and the postman passed on. Kate came gliding out with a brush in her hand. “What was the postman saying?” “That--Mr.--Philip--Christian--has been passing--for an advocate,” said Nancy deliberately. Kate's eyes glistened, and her lips quivered with delight; but she only said, with an air of indifference, “Was that all his news, then?” “All? D'ye say all?” said Nancy, digging away at the candle-irons. “Listen to the girl! And him that good to her while her promist man's away!” Kate shelled her rush, and said, with a sigh and a sly look, “I'm afraid you think a deal too much of him, Nancy.” “Then I'll be making mends,” said Nancy, “for some that's thinking a dale too little.” “I'm quite at a loss to know what you see in him,” said Kate.