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i62 WILD MARGARET. —
If she had gone down the road to Ilfracombe, and had
met Blair! His heart almost ceased beating at the
_ thought. She would meet Blair, and, he knew too well,
frustrate the elaborate plot, and ruin the plotter.
He gained the entrance of the road to ’Combe; two or
three men were standing under the shelter of ashed, with
their tools beside them. .
“ Have you been working here—in the fields?’ he in-
uired. .
1 ‘Yes, master, and we be drenched through, we be!”
said one. — .
‘Have you seen a lady—a lady with a veil—come this
way—to Ilfracombe, I mean?” he said, trying to steady
his voice. ‘‘I am afraid she has got caught in the
storm.”’ a,
The men shook their heads. 7
“No,” said he who had spoken first; ‘‘no one has been
along this’ road ’cepting the gentleman who rode Far-
mer James’ colt this morning.”? .. | . ;
“T know—I mean I don’t know,” said Austin Am-
brose, catching himself up. ‘‘ Are you sure?”’
“Sure and sartain!’’ said another man. ‘‘ We've been
working in sight o’ the road all day, and the lady
couldn’t a passed without our seeing her. Have you got
a bit of ’bacca, your honor?’
He tossed them a shilling, and hurried. back. It was
just possible that she may have gone to the station by an-
other road than that which he had watched. Fighting
shis way against the wind and rain, he reached the station.
From one and another of the porters he inquired 1
she had been seen, and the answer was the same.. No
‘lady answering to Madge’s description had reached the
station. Half wild with impatience and fear—not for her,
by any means, certainly not; but for himself !—he returne
.t0 the beach. . .
_: Ashe did so he saw a gang of fishermen and sailors
standing under the lee of a rock, and peering out to sea. |
They did not hear him approach, and, in his noiseless
fashion, he got close up to them and within hearing un
noticed. ; :
i i’ No boat could put out from the beach, man,” said the
old man with whom Margaret had spoken that morniné-
“We've tried it with. the best of them. the Lass and the
Speedwell, and it ain’t no manner’o’ use. ‘Sides, where s
the good? the tide have swept over the rock an hour.
agone!”’ .
_.,{\ And you’re sure you seed her?’ asked a man.
-.. “*Do’ee think I’ve gone silly all in a moment?” retorted
the old fellow, pettishly. ‘‘I tell ee, I seed her on the