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； for some time； but what he had said rankled。
A few days after this Coventry came again； and did nothing but soothe Grace with words； only he managed so that Grace should detect him looking very sad when he was not actually employed in cheering her。
She began to pity him a little； and wonder at his devotion。
He had not been gone many hours when another visitor arrived quite unexpectedlyMr。 Raby。 He came to tell her his own news； and warn her of the difficult game they were now playing at Raby Hall； that she might not thwart it inadvertently。
Grace was much agitated； and shed tears of sympathy。 She promised； with a sigh； to hold no communication with Mrs。 Little。 She thought it very hard； but she promised。
In the course of his narrative Mr。 Raby spoke very highly of Jael Dence； and of her conduct in the matter。
To this Grace did not respond。 She waited her opportunity； and said； keenly and coldly； 〃How did she come to be in your house？〃
〃Well； that is a secret。〃
〃Can you not trust me with a secret？〃
〃Oh yes；〃 said Raby； 〃provided you will promise faithfully to tell no one。〃
Grace promised； and he then told her that Jael Dence； in a moment of desperation； had thrown herself into the river at the back of his house。 〃Poor girl！〃 said he； 〃her brain was not right at the time。 Heaven keep us all from those moments of despair。 She has got over it now； and nurses and watches my poor sister more like a mother watching her child than a young woman taking care of an old one。 She is the mainspring of the house。〃
At all this Grace turned from pale to white； but said nothing； and Raby ran on in praise of Jael； little dreaming what pain his words inflicted。
When he left her； she rose and walked down to the sea； for her tortured spirit gave her body energy。 Hitherto she found she had only suspected； now she was sure。 Hitherto she had feared Henry Little had loved Jael Dence a little； now she was sure he had loved her best。 Jael Dence would not have attempted self…destruction for any man unless he loved her。 The very act proved her claim to him more eloquently than words could do。 Now she believed allthe anonymous letterMr。 Coventry's reportthe woman's words who worked in the same factory； and could not be deceived。 And her godfather accepted Jael Dence and her claim to sympathy： she was taken into his house； and set to nurse Henry Little's mother： poor Grace was slighted on all sides； she must not even write to Mrs。 Little； nor take part in the pious falsehood they were concocting together； Raby and his Jael Dence； whom everybody loved best everybody except this poor faithful ill…used wretch； Frederick Coventry； and him she hated for loving her better than the man she loved had loved her。
Tender； but very proud； this sensitive creature saw herself dethroned from her love。 Jael Dence had eclipsed her in every way； had saved his life with her strong arm； had almost perished with him； and had tried to kill herself when he was dead。 SHE was far behind this rival in every thing。 She had only loved； and suffered； and nearly died。 〃No； no；〃 she said to herself； 〃she could not love him better than I did： but HE loved HER best； and she knew it； and that made her arm strong to fight； and her heart strong to die for him。 I am nobodynothing。〃 Then the scalding tears ran down her cheeks。 But soon her pride got the upper hand； and dried her cheeks； and nearly maddened her。
She began to blush for her love； to blush for her illness。 She rose into that state of exasperation in which persons of her sex do things they look back upon with wonder； and； strange to say； all this without one unkind thought of him whose faults she saw； but excusedhe was dead。
She now began to struggle visibly； and violently； against her deadly sorrow。 She forced herself to take walks and rides； and to talk； with nothing to say。 She even tried to laugh now and then。 She made violent efforts to be gracious and pitiful to Mr。 Coventry； and the next minute made him suffer for it by treating him like a troublesome hound。
He loved her madly； yet sometimes he felt tempted to kill her； and end both her torture and his own。
Such was the inner life of Grace Carden for many days； devoid of striking incident； yet well worthy of study by those who care to pierce below the surface； and see what passes in the hearts of the unhappy； and to learn how things come gradually about that sound incredible when not so traced； yet are natural and almost inevitable results of certain conflicting passions in a virgin heart。
One day Mr。 Carden telegraphed from London to Mr。 Coventry at Hillsborough that he was coming down to Eastbank by the midday express； and would be glad to meet him there at four o'clock。 He also telegraphed to Grace； and said； 〃Dinner at five。〃
Both gentlemen arrived about the same time； a little before dinner。
Soon after dinner was over； Grace observed a restlessness in her father's manner； which convinced her he had something private to say to Mr。 Coventry。 Her suspicions were aroused： she fancied he was going to encourage Mr。 Coventry to court her。 Instantly the whole woman was in arms； and her love for the deceased came rushing back tenfold。 She rose； soon after dinner； and retired to the drawing… room； but； as soon as she got there； she slipped quietly into the veranda； and lay softly down upon her couch。 The dining…room window was open； and with her quick ears； she could hear nearly every word。
She soon found that all her bitterness and her preparation for hostilities were wasted。 Her father was telling Mr。 Coventry the story of Richard Martin； only he carried it a step further than I have done。
〃Well； sir；〃 said he； 〃the money had not been paid more than a month； when an insurance office down at Liverpool communicated with us。 The same game had been played with them； but； somehow； their suspicions were excited。 We compared notes with them； and set detectives to work。 They traced Martin's confederates； and found one of them was in prison awaiting his trial for some minor offense。 They worked on him to tell the truth （I am afraid they compounded）； and he let out the whole truth。 Every one of those villains could swim like ducks； and Richard Martin like a fish。 Drowned？ not he： he had floated down to Greenwich or somewherethe blackguard！ and hid himself。 And what do you think the miscreants did next？ Bought a dead marine； and took him down in a box to some low public…house by the water…side。 They had a supper； and dressed their marine in Richard Martin's clothes； and shaved its whiskers； and broke its tooth； and set it up in a chair； with a table before it； and a pot of ale； and fastened a pipe in its mouth； and they kept toasting this ghastly corpse as the thing that was to make all their fortunes。〃 At this grotesque and horrible picture； a sigh of horror was uttered in the veranda。 Mr。 Carden； occupied with his narrative； did not hear it； but Coventry did。 〃Then； when it was pitch dark； they staggered down to the water with it； and planted it in the weeds。 And； mark the cunning！ when they had gone through their farce of recognizing it publicly for Richard Martin； they bribed a chu