still anxious to secure mr pratt for a son-in-law, mrs bathurst resolved to make some return to his hospitality. her husband had very little money, and the lady was unable to give a dinner-party on account of the cost. also pratt had "done things so well"—so she put it—that she was unwilling to provoke comparisons. nevertheless, some sort of entertainment had to be given, and after much reflection and many consultations with peggy, it was decided that it should take the form of a picnic. the scenery around colester was beautiful, the weather was fine, and the cost of an open-air entertainment would be comparatively small. mrs bathurst therefore issued cards.

"we must make mr pratt one of ourselves," said the energetic lady; "and although we cannot hope to vie with his luxury, we can at least bestow what we have with liberal hearts."

what mrs bathurst had in the way of food was principally sandwiches—the cheapest form of nourishment she could think of. as she had decided that the picnic should take place on the moor, where there were no roads, it was not necessary to hire vehicles to convey the party to the scene of revelry. "a good brisk walk will give everyone an appetite," said the hostess, "and the air will do us all good." thus it came about that all those who had partaken of pratt's hospitality found themselves the guests of mrs bathurst. her husband, who characterised the picnic as foolery, was not present.

by a dexterous arrangement the good lady contrived that peggy should find herself in the company of pratt. the little man was as neat and dapper as ever, and as peggy strolled beside him over the heather, she could not but admit that he was a pleasant companion. the principal meal of the day had been devoured, and mrs bathurst's guests had been sent hungry away. tea and a limited quantity of sandwiches were scarcely sufficient for appetites sharpened by the keen moorland air. however, there was nothing else; and now the company, split up into small parties, wandered here, there and everywhere. peggy was with pratt. he saw how mrs bathurst had manœuvred to bring this about, and resolved to make use of the opportunity in a way of which the schemer would not approve.

"most beautiful place this, miss peggy," said pratt, glancing round, "but i fear the company is not to your mind."

"oh! mr pratt, how can you say that!" said poor peggy, divided between a desire to keep him at a distance and to avoid giving offence to her mother. "i am very pleased to be with you."

"well, i don't know, miss peggy. i am not a parson, you know."

peggy laughed and blushed. her secret was everybody's property, and it was well known in colester that she and raston were attached to one another. even mrs bathurst knew, but she was resolved to crush this affection before it grew too strong for her control. as a matter of fact it had already passed that stage, but mrs bathurst was not aware of that. "mr raston is quite happy with miss hale," said peggy, frankly. she found pratt sympathetic and did not mind speaking freely to him.

"and i think miss hale would rather be with young haverleigh," said her companion, "but he is with miss tempest."

"and with sir frank hale."

"who is the inconvenient third, miss peggy? we are all at sixes and sevens, i fancy. even mrs gabriel and the vicar are badly matched. however, in a little time i shall ask mr raston to join us."

"not on my account," cried miss bathurst, hastily.

"i understand, your mother would not be pleased."

"mr pratt!" peggy bit her lip. "really, mr pratt!"

"my dear young lady," said pratt, with a twinkle, "do you think that i flatter myself that a battered old man like myself is your choice? no, indeed; although your mother would have it so. like draws to like, and if i can bring it about you shall be mrs raston."

"no chance of that," sighed peggy. "mr raston is too poor!"

"oh, no. he has three hundred a year of his own, and it is more than probable that when mr tempest dies, mrs gabriel will give him the living. then why won't your mother consent?"

"she was not opposed to my engagement until—until—" peggy hesitated.

"until i arrived," finished pratt. "set your mind at rest, miss peggy; i am not a marrying man; i have seen too much of the world."

peggy laughed and looked at him. his pleasant face was turned towards her, and she saw on his cheek a mark she had never noticed before. it was a tattooed star, very small and placed just under the jawbone. unless looked for very closely it was apt to escape notice. but there it was, and being so close to the man, peggy saw it very plainly. perhaps she saw it the more clearly because pratt held his head at a particular angle. he noticed the curiosity in her eyes, and flushed a trifle. he knew what she was looking at. "i had that done in the south seas," said pratt, rubbing the star; "foolish thing to have had done, but i was a reckless young sailor then. and see here, miss peggy," he rolled up his sleeve, that of the left arm. immediately below the elbow there was a beautifully tattooed snake, half red and half blue. "that was done in japan," he said.

"you seem to have been everywhere, mr pratt?"

"i have. that is why i have come down here to end my days in peace. i want everybody hereabouts to like me—you included, miss peggy."

"i do like you, mr pratt," protested peggy. "not, of course, like—"

"i understand. well, i shall speak to your mother about mr raston. oh, do not look so afraid, miss peggy. i know very well what i am about. i have managed much more obstinate people in my time. all you have to do is to look pleased as though you were delighted with me. that will put your mother on the wrong scent."

"harold will not like it," objected peggy, as they returned to join the others. "harold is mr raston."

"i gathered that from your blush," said pratt, with a chuckle. "well, leave it to me. there is harold making signals. what is up now?"

mrs bathurst informed them as soon as they came within earshot. "come here at once, peggy," she screamed. "mr pratt, come here! mr raston is about to take a group with his kodak. it will be a memorial of my picnic."

the american did not seem pleased. for the moment his usually active tongue was silent, and he seemed unwilling to form part of the group. "i do not care about having my likeness taken, mrs bathurst," he said.

"but indeed you must—in the group," said the lady, vigorously; "dear mr pratt, do not spoil the little memorial of my picnic."

"it can be taken without me, mrs bathurst."

"that would be the play of hamlet with the prince left out," replied the lady, gracefully. "mrs gabriel, add your entreaties."

"oh! mr pratt will not listen to me," said mrs gabriel, severely, "i know him of old. he can be obstinate when he chooses."

pratt laughed but gave her a sly look which made her wince. strong woman as she was, there was something about this artless, good-natured little man which made her turn white and draw her breath in quick gasps. "i consent to be taken," said pratt, withdrawing his gaze, "if i am permitted to arrange the group myself."

"certainly," said raston, brightly. he had been exchanging a few words with peggy. "arrange it as you please."

leo, who had hale at his elbow, ranged alongside the american. "you know where to place me," he said softly, and pratt nodded. it was mainly for that reason that he wished to arrange the group.

the result of his efforts was that leo and sybil were together, much to the wrath of the baronet and mrs gabriel. the others pratt scattered anyhow, and placed himself at the back. raston did not approve of this.

"you can hardly be seen, mr pratt," he said. "please come more forward."

pratt hesitated, but, catching sight of a cold smile on the face of mrs gabriel, he gave her a defiant look and placed himself in the position indicated by mr raston's outstretched finger. then the curate adjusted his kodak and took three pictures. he also had to take a fourth, as mrs bathurst wanted herself to be seen making tea, surrounded by her guests. "to recall a happy, happy day," she explained.

"you are fond of photography, raston?" said pratt, when this was over.

"very. i have taken pictures all round the place."

"and the other day he took a picture of the cup you gave," put in sybil.

"i guess that's kind of him," said pratt, gnawing his lip. "i suppose," he was addressing raston, "that you send copies of these to your friends?"

"indeed i do not," replied the curate, cheerily, "i take only a few copies and place them in an album. certainly i have given a few to miss bathurst."

"natural, very natural," said pratt, gravely; "you must give me one of the group you took just now." and without waiting for an answer he turned away. somehow he seemed relieved to hear that the photographs were not likely to be sent round the country. and all the time mrs gabriel, who had listened to this conversation, heard it with a cold smile. she seemed rather pleased that pratt should be upset, and upset he was, a remarkable thing in so calm a man.

after a time leo and sybil slipped away, and were some distance across the moor before their absence was noticed. there was no chance of following them save in the most pointed manner, so sir frank, with a scowl, devoted himself to his sister. she was seated on the heather, staring after leo with a despairing look. frank patted her hand kindly. "he will come back, edith," he whispered.

"no," she replied, quietly, "he will never come back. sybil has taken him away for ever. don't worry about me, frank."

"oh! as to that," retorted frank, savagely, "i approve of that no more than you do. if you want to marry leo, i wish to make sybil my wife."

"i am afraid neither of us will get our wishes," said edith, with a sigh.

"we'll see about that," muttered frank; "at all costs i'll stop that marriage. sybil must become my wife."

mrs gabriel overheard him. "make your mind easy, frank," she said, "i can put an end to this." she cast a look at pratt. "i could have done so long ago but for—" she stopped.

"but for what, mrs gabriel?"

"nothing! nothing!" she said hastily. "a matter which does not concern you, frank. but it is time to adopt strong measures. mr tempest"—she went to the vicar—"come for a stroll with me. i wish to speak to you."

"about parish matters?" asked the vicar, rather nervously, for he knew mrs gabriel's tongue and temper. "won't you speak to raston?"

"it is not about parish matters," said mrs gabriel. "it is concerning your daughter and leo."

mr tempest looked up sharply. "indeed!" he said, with quite a new note in his voice. "nothing wrong, i trust?"

"i shall leave you to judge of that," replied mrs gabriel. "come, vicar!" and she carried the old man away. hale started after them distrustfully.

"what does she intend to do now?" he muttered. "i intend to take my own way in this matter, and i don't trust her. too clever by half!"

meantime leo and sybil, not thinking of the envy their happiness caused, were walking slowly along. every now and then they would turn and look at one another and smile. the action seemed childish, but those who are deeply in love are often nothing but children. then they came to talk of their future.

"when are you going away, leo?" asked sybil.

"i go to town next monday," replied leo. "i start at seven o'clock for portfront, and there take the steamer that leaves at ten."

"and the money for your debts?"

"that will be all right. frank has promised to give it me this week. but the queer part is, sybil, that he will not give me a cheque."

"why not?" she asked, stopping abruptly.

"i don't know. some whim on his part. he intends that i shall take it in sovereigns—yes, the whole three hundred pounds! there is a treasure to travel with! however, i shall take it to london and pay it into my bank there. then i can settle with my creditors by cheque."

"does he give any reason why he wants you to take it in gold?"

"no! but he is a queer chap, although a kind one. i must take the money as he chooses to give it. but do you know, sybil, i believe hale has the instincts of a miser, and likes to look at gold. i should not be surprised if he had a chest of sovereigns in his house. i expect that is why he gives me specie instead of a cheque or notes."

"i don't like it at all," said sybil, decisively.

"there you go with your distrust!" said leo, good-humouredly. "you will not make allowance for the queerness of poor frank. never mind, i will take the money as he chooses to give it. when my creditors are paid i shall see about enlisting."

"you have made up your mind to that?"

"fully. mrs gabriel understands as much. and i do not think, sybil," said leo, bending down, "that you will seek to dissuade me."

sybil paused for a moment. "no," she said at length, and her voice was firm, "it is a good thing for you to take up the burden of life, leo. even if you die in south africa it will be better than that you should live on the charity of mrs gabriel. i admire your spirit."

leo shook his head sadly. "don't admire anything about me, dear," he said. "long, long ago, i should have earned my own living. i have been a fool too long. but now, sybil, i intend to work my hardest for you. i am sure to get my commission, as there are plenty knocking about; and when i return, your father will consent to our marriage, and mrs gabriel will forgive me."

"i don't think my father would ever object, leo," said sybil. "he would not care if you had little money. all he asks from anyone who marries me is that they come of a good stock. he has much family pride, you know."

"then he will easily be satisfied with the haverleighs. they have been established in the place down yonder for centuries. i did not know, though, that he attached much value to pedigree, sybil."

"it is his one failing. he would not mind if i married a pauper, so long as my future husband had good blood in his veins. the one thing he would not permit would be that i should marry what he calls a 'base-born' man. but, of course, there is no danger of that."

"no; i think my pedigree will satisfy mr tempest. but it is strange that he should attach such value to race."

"i'm not so sure of that," said sybil, slowly. "i have a great opinion of race myself, leo. but, come," she broke off, "there is my father waving to me. i wonder what he wants. to go home, i expect."

mr tempest did, indeed, want to go home, and, moreover, he seemed by no means anxious for the company of leo. quite different to his usual self, he was stiff and cold towards the young man. mrs gabriel saw this, and smiled. not in vain had she adopted the stronger measures of which she had spoken to sir frank. however, she gave leo no time to talk to the vicar, but took possession of him and threw him into the company of miss hale. leo was obliged to talk to the girl, for, although she bored him greatly, she was too unoffending a creature to hurt. frank saw how dexterously mrs gabriel had managed, and came up to her. "what have you been doing?" he asked in a low voice.

"talking mr tempest over to my views about this marriage. set your mind at rest, frank. leo will never become the husband of sybil now."

sure enough matters seemed to be quite in mrs gabriel's favour. on arriving home mr tempest had a scene with his daughter, and forbade her to think any more of leo. "had i known of this before, it would not have gone so far," said the vicar; "but i have been blind. fortunately, mrs gabriel has opened my eyes. it must stop!"

"i am engaged to leo haverleigh," said sybil, firmly.

"nothing of the sort!" retorted the vicar. "i won't have it, i tell you. i do not consider that leo is a fit husband for you."

"and what is your reason, father?"

"i decline to give it you. later on i may do so, but not now. please do not argue, sybil. i won't hear a word. you are neither to see leo again nor are you to talk to him. i won't have it."

"but, father—"

"that's quite enough, sybil. not another word." and, as the girl knew of the rages into which her father was capable of falling, she said nothing more at the time lest she might provoke one. but this sudden change of front on the part of her easy-going father bewildered her.

leo was also at his wits' end to understand the new state of things. from the day of the picnic he never had a chance of seeing sybil alone, nor was he asked, as formerly, to the vicarage. mr tempest was coldness itself when they met, and appeared to wish to see as little of him as possible. leo asked mrs gabriel what was the meaning of these things, but could get no answer. she only laughed insultingly, and said that mr tempest was of her opinion about this ridiculous marriage. leo saw mr pratt, and consulted him.

"i guess you'd better leave it to me," said pratt, who was on the side of the lovers. "i'll bring mrs gabriel to reason."

"but it is more the vicar that needs bringing to reason," argued leo. "he has changed wholly towards me."

"perhaps he has heard of your debts," suggested pratt, pondering.

"what if he had! he knows that i am not so wild as everyone tries to make out. no. it is something else. i believe my mother has been saying something to him about me."

pratt looked up suddenly, but his face did not change. "i'll see mrs gabriel," he said calmly. "if she has said anything to the vicar likely to do you harm, i'll get her to tell me. i have known her for many years, leo, and she often takes my advice."

"i know. she has the very highest opinion of you, pratt," said the innocent leo; whereat pratt chuckled.

"i'll tell you what," he said. "i'll speak to mrs gabriel about your debts at the same time."

"no; don't do that!" cried leo in alarm. "you will only weaken my position with her. i want to settle these debts without her knowledge. i can raise the money, as i told you. later on, when she comes round, i can get her to give me the sum and settle. she will surely do that when she hears that i have enlisted."

"i daresay. in fact, i'm sure she will," said pratt, with his queer smile. "who is going to lend you the money meantime?"

"i can't tell you that, mr pratt," said leo, with dignity.

"you might tell it to a worse person," said pratt, rather offended. "however, keep your secret; i'll do what i can."

"don't be offended, pratt. indeed, as soon as possible i'll tell you."

"there! there! don't make a fuss over it," he said testily. "i know you are not such a fool as people think you are. and to tell you the truth, leo, if you can pay these debts independently of mrs gabriel, i fancy she will think all the more of you. i don't offer to help you myself, because if she asks me i want to be able to say 'no' for reasons which i will explain later. but i tell you what, leo. if, when you get these matters settled and enlist, mrs gabriel won't come round, i'll give you the money myself to repay the loan, and fit you out for south africa."

"you are indeed a friend," cried leo, with emotion, and the two men shook hands. they understood each other very well.

but all this time leo was pining to get a sight of sybil. it is true that he sometimes saw her in the distance; but she was always with her father, and he could not come near. however, it came about that sybil induced pearl to take a note to leo. she explained in it that her father had taken a dislike to the marriage, and that the only chance of things being arranged lay in leo going away for a time. several notes passed between the lovers, and then their kindly messenger fell ill, but not before it was understood that sybil was to leave a note or so in a certain crack in the chapel wall, which they could use as a post-office. and out of that subterfuge all the subsequent trouble arose.

pearl was really ill. she was in the habit of wandering about at night, and as the wet weather was coming she had been caught on the moor in a thunderstorm. now she was laid up with a severe cold. raston was particularly anxious about her. leo met him one day, and the curate was red with indignation. it seemed he had good cause for it.

"did you ever hear of anything so wicked, haverleigh?" he asked.

"what is the matter now?"

"why, that poor mad child! she is very ill, as you know, but is getting on all right; dr james says she is well on the way to recovery. now mrs jeal took it into her head that the girl was dying, and has been frightening her with stories of eternal torment. you know, pearl always believed that she would go to heaven, and be at the supper with the master, as she calls our lord. she never had any doubt. now these gruesome stories of mrs jeal's have made her doubt if she will be saved. in fact, she believes now that unless the master gives her some sign she will be lost!"

"how cruel of mrs jeal," said leo, angrily.

"oh! i believe she did it for the best. she is fond of pearl, and kind to her. but you know she came from the north, and she holds to that gloomy calvinistic religion that has terrified so many people. i gave her a good talking to, and she has consented to leave pearl alone. all the same, she still holds that the child is a lost soul. i have been trying to pacify the poor creature. she is haunted by terrible fears."

"show her the cup!" suggested leo. "she has such a belief in it as the holy grail that it may soothe her."

"a good idea," said the curate. "i will ask mr tempest about it. but i cannot take it to her till monday. to-morrow i preach in the evening. i hear you are going up to town."

"on monday morning early. when you next hear of me, raston, i may have enlisted."

"and a good thing too," said raston. "but that i am a clergyman i should have been a soldier. good-day! come to church to-morrow."

and to church leo went to see sybil in her pew. he also went to the evening service. on monday he departed for london. but no one heeded his going. the village was excited by a rumour that the cup had been stolen. on hearing the report mr tempest went to the church. it was true. the cup was gone.