 her own knowledge?
    Did she desire that Godwin should remain in security? A tremor more akin to
gladness than its opposite impeded her utterance. If Warricombe became aware of
all that was involved in Godwin Peak's withdrawal from among his friends - if
(as must follow) he imparted the discovery to his sister -
    The necessity of speaking enabled her to ignore these turbulent
speculations, which yet were anything but new to her.
    »They met at Budleigh Salterton,« she said, quietly.
    »Who did? Warricombe and Peak?«
    »Yes. At the Moorhouses'. It was when I was there.«
    Christian stared at her.
    »When you were there? But - you met Peak?«
    His sister smiled, turning from the astonished gaze.
    »Yes, I met him.«
    »But, why the deuce -? Why didn't you tell me, Marcella?«
    »He asked me not to speak of it. He didn't wish you to know that - that he
has decided to become a clergyman.«
    Christian was stricken dumb. In spite of his sister's obvious agitation, he
could not believe what she told him; her smile gave him an excuse for supposing
that she jested.
    »Peak a clergyman?« He burst out laughing. »What's the meaning of all this?
- Do speak intelligibly! What's the fellow up to?«
    »I am quite serious. He is studying for Orders - has been for this last
year.«
    In desperation, Christian turned to another phase of the subject.
    »Then Malkin was mistaken?«
    »Plainly.«
    »And you mean to tell me that Peak -? Give me more details. Where's he
living? How has he got to know people like these Warricombes?«
    Marcella told all that she knew, and without injunction of secrecy. The
affair had passed out of her hands; destiny must fulfil itself. And again the
tremor that resembled an uneasy joy went through her frame.
    »But how,« asked Christian, »did this fellow Warricombe come to know that I
was a friend of Peak's?«
    »That's a puzzle to me. I shouldn't have thought he would have remembered my
name; and, even if he had, how could he conclude -?«
    She broke off, pondering. Warricombe must have made inquiries, possibly
suggested by suspicions.
    »I scarcely spoke of Mr. Peak to anyone,« she added. »People saw, of course,
that we were acquaintances
