Theman-trapwasthrown；andbetweenitsjawswaspartofawoman’sclothing——apatternedsilkskirt——grippedwithsuchviolencethattheironteethhadpassedthroughit，skeweringitstissueinascoreofplaces。Heimmediatelyrecognizedtheskirtasthatofoneofhiswife’sgowns——thegownthatshehadwornwhenshemethimontheverylastoccasion。
FitzpiershadoftenstudiedtheeffectoftheseinstrumentswhenexaminingthecollectionatHintockHouse，andtheconceptioninstantlyflashedthroughhimthatGracehadbeencaught，takenoutmangledbysomechancepasser，andcarriedhome，someofherclothesbeingleftbehindinthedifficultyofgettingherfree。
Theshockofthisconviction，strikingintotheverycurrentofhighhope，wassogreatthathecriedoutlikeoneincorporalagony，andinhismiserybowedhimselfdowntotheground。
OfallthedegreesandqualitiesofpunishmentthatFitzpiershadundergonesincehissinsagainstGracefirstbegan，notanyevenapproximatedinintensitytothis。
“Oh，myown——mydarling！Oh，cruelHeaven——itistoomuch，this！”
hecried，writhingandrockinghimselfoverthesorryaccessariesofherhedeplored。
Thevoiceofhisdistresswassufficientlyloudtobeaudibletoanyonewhomighthavebeentheretohearit；andonetherewas。
Rightandleftofthenarrowpassbetweentheoaksweredensebushes；andnowfrombehindtheseafemalefigureglided，whoseappearanceeveninthegloomwas，thoughgracefulinoutline，noticeablystrange。
Shewasinwhiteuptothewaist，andfiguredabove。Shewas，inshort，Grace，hiswife，lackingtheportionofherdresswhichtheginretained。
“Don’tbegrievedaboutme——don’t，dearEdgar！”sheexclaimed，rushingupandbendingoverhim。“Iamnothurtabit！IwascomingontofindyouafterIhadreleasedmyself，butIheardfootsteps；andIhidaway，becauseIwaswithoutsomeofmyclothing，andIdidnotknowwhothepersonmightbe。”
Fitzpiershadsprungtohisfeet，andhisnextactwasnolessunpremeditatedbyhimthanitwasirresistiblebyher，andwouldhavebeensobyanywomannotofAmazonianstrength。Heclaspedhisarmscompletelyround，pressedhertohisbreast，andkissedherpassionately。
“Youarenotdead！——youarenothurt！ThankGod——thankGod！”hesaid，almostsobbinginhisdelightandrelieffromthehorrorofhisapprehension。“Grace，mywife，mylove，howisthis——whathashappened？”
“Iwascomingontoyou。”shesaidasdistinctlyasshecouldinthehalf-smotheredstateofherfaceagainsthis。“Iwastryingtobeaspunctualaspossible，andasIhadstartedaminutelateIranalongthepathveryswiftly——fortunatelyformyself。JustwhenIhadpassedbetweenthesetreesIfeltsomethingclutchatmydressfrombehindwithanoise，andthenextmomentIwaspulledbackwardbyit，andfelltotheground。Iscreamedwithterror，thinkingitwasamanlyingdowntheretomurderme，butthenextmomentIdiscovereditwasiron，andthatmyclotheswerecaughtinatrap。Ipulledthiswayandthat，butthethingwouldnotletgo，dragitasIwould，andIdidnotknowwhattodo。I
didnotwanttoalarmmyfatheroranybody，asIwishednobodytoknowofthesemeetingswithyou；soIcouldthinkofnootherplanthanslippingoffmyskirt，meaningtorunonandtellyouwhatastrangeaccidenthadhappenedtome。ButwhenIhadjustfreedmyselfbyleavingthedressbehind，Iheardsteps，andnotbeingsureitwasyou，Ididnotliketobeseeninsuchapickle，soI
hidaway。”
“Itwasonlyyourspeedthatsavedyou！Oneorbothofyourlegswouldhavebeenbrokenifyouhadcomeatordinarywalkingpace。”
“Oryours，ifyouhadgotherefirst。”saidshe，beginningtorealizethewholeghastlinessofthepossibility。“Oh，Edgar，therehasbeenanEyewatchingoverusto-night，andweshouldbethankfulindeed！”
Hecontinuedtopresshisfacetohers。“Youaremine——mineagainnow。”
Shegentlyownedthatshesupposedshewas。“IheardwhatyousaidwhenyouthoughtIwasinjured。”shewenton，shyly，“andI
knowthatamanwhocouldsufferasyouweresufferingmusthaveatenderregardforme。Buthowdoesthisawfulthingcomehere？”
“Isupposeithassomethingtodowithpoachers。”Fitzpierswasstillsoshakenbythesenseofherdangerthathewasobligedtositawhile，anditwasnotuntilGracesaid，“IfIcouldonlygetmyskirtoutnobodywouldknowanythingaboutit。”thathebestirredhimself。
Bytheirunitedefforts，eachstandingononeofthespringsofthetrap，theypressedthemdownsufficientlytoinsertacrossthejawsabilletwhichtheydraggedfromafaggotnearathand；anditwasthenpossibletoextractthesilkmouthfulfromthemonster’sbite，creasedandpiercedwithmanyholes，butnottorn。
Fitzpiersassistedhertoputitonagain；andwhenhercustomarycontourswerethusrestoredtheywalkedontogether，Gracetakinghisarm，tillheeffectedanimprovementbyclaspingitroundherwaist。
Theicehavingbeenbrokeninthisunexpectedmanner，shemadenofurtherattemptatreserve。“Iwouldaskyoutocomeintothehouse。”shesaid，“butmymeetingswithyouhavebeenkeptsecretfrommyfather，andIshouldliketopreparehim。”
“Nevermind，dearest。Icouldnotverywellhaveacceptedtheinvitation。Ishallneverlivehereagain——asmuchforyoursakeasformine。Ihavenewstotellyouonthisverypoint，butmyalarmhadputitoutofmyhead。Ihaveboughtapractice，orratherapartnership，intheMidlands，andImustgothereinaweektotakeuppermanentresidence。Mypooroldgreat-auntdiedabouteightmonthsago，andleftmeenoughtodothis。Ihavetakenalittlefurnishedhouseforatime，tillwecangetoneofourown。”
Hedescribedtheplace，andthesurroundings，andtheviewfromthewindows，andGracebecamemuchinterested。“Butwhyareyounottherenow？”shesaid。
“BecauseIcannottearmyselfawayfromheretillIhaveyourpromise。Now，darling，youwillaccompanymethere——willyounot？
To-nighthassettledthat。”
Grace’stremblingshadgoneoff，andshedidnotsaynay。Theywentontogether。
Theadventure，andtheemotionsconsequentuponthereunionwhichthateventhadforcedon，combinedtorenderGraceobliviousofthedirectionoftheirdesultoryramble，tillshenoticedtheywereinanencircledgladeinthedensestpartofthewood，whereonthemoon，thathadimperceptiblyaddeditsraystothescene，shonealmostvertically。Itwasanexceptionallysoft，balmyeveningforthetimeofyear，whichwasjustthattransientperiodintheMaymonthwhenbeech-treeshavesuddenlyunfoldedlargelimpyoungleavesofthesoftnessofbutterflies’wings。
Boughsbearingsuchleaveshunglowaround，andcompletelyenclosedthem，sothatitwasasiftheywereinagreatgreenvase，whichhadmossforitsbottomandleafsides。
Thecloudshavingbeenpackedinthewestthateveningsoastoretainthedepartingglarealongwhile，thehourhadseemedmuchearlierthanitwas。Butsuddenlythequestionoftimeoccurredtoher。
“Imustgoback。”shesaid；andwithoutfurtherdelaytheysettheirfacestowardsHintock。Astheywalkedheexaminedhiswatchbytheaidofthenowstrongmoonlight。
“Bythegods，IthinkIhavelostmytrain！”saidFitzpiers。
“Dearme——whereaboutsarewe？”saidshe。
“TwomilesinthedirectionofSherton。”
“Thendoyouhastenon，Edgar。Iamnotintheleastafraid。I
recognizenowthepartofthewoodweareinandIcanfindmywaybackquiteeasily。I’lltellmyfatherthatwehavemadeitup。
IwishIhadnotkeptourmeetingssoprivate，foritmayvexhimalittletoknowIhavebeenseeingyou。Heisgettingoldandirritable，thatwaswhyIdidnot。Good-by。”
“But，asImuststayattheEarlofWessexto-night，forIcannotpossiblycatchthetrain，Ithinkitwouldbesaferforyoutoletmetakecareofyou。”
“Butwhatwillmyfatherthinkhasbecomeofme？HedoesnotknowintheleastwhereIam——hethinksIonlywentintothegardenforafewminutes。”
“Hewillsurelyguess——somebodyhasseenmeforcertain。I’llgoallthewaybackwithyouto-morrow。”
“Butthatnewlydone-upplace——theEarlofWessex！”
“IfyouaresoveryparticularaboutthepublicityIwillstayattheThreeTuns。”
“Ohno——itisnotthatIamparticular——butIhaven’tabrushorcomboranything！”
AlltheeveningMelburyhadbeencomingtohisdoor，saying，“I
wonderwhereintheworldthatgirlis！NeverinallmyborndaysdidIknowherbideoutlikethis！Shesurelysaidshewasgoingintothegardentogetsomeparsley。”
Melburysearchedthegarden，theparsley-bed，andtheorchard，butcouldfindnotraceofher，andthenhemadeinquiriesatthecottagesofsuchofhisworkmenashadnotgonetobed，avoidingTangs’sbecauseheknewtheyoungpeopleweretoriseearlytoleave。Intheseinquiriesoneofthemen’swivessomewhatincautiouslyletoutthefactthatshehadheardascreaminthewood，thoughfromwhichdirectionshecouldnotsay。
ThissetMelbury’sfearsonend。Hetoldthementolightlanterns，andheadedbyhimselftheystarted，Creedlefollowingatthelastmomentwithquiteaburdenofgrapnelsandropes，whichhecouldnotbepersuadedtoleavebehind，andthecompanybeingjoinedbythehollow-turnerandthemanwhokeptthecider-houseastheywentalong。
Theyexploredtheprecinctsofthevillage，andinashorttimelightedupontheman-trap。Itsdiscoverysimplyaddedanitemoffactwithouthelpingtheirconjectures；butMelbury’sindefinitealarmwasgreatlyincreasedwhen，holdingacandletotheground，hesawintheteethoftheinstrumentsomefrayingsfromGrace’sclothing。NointelligenceofanykindwasgainedtilltheymetawoodmanofDelborough，whosaidthathehadseenaladyansweringtothedescriptionherfathergaveofGrace，walkingthroughthewoodonagentleman’sarminthedirectionofSherton。
“Washeclutchinghertight？”saidMelbury。
“Well——rather。”saidtheman。
“Didshewalklame？”
“Well，’tistrueherheadhungovertowardshimabit。”
Creedlegroanedtragically。
Melbury，notsuspectingthepresenceofFitzpiers，coupledthisaccountwiththeman-trapandthescream；hecouldnotunderstandwhatitallmeant；butthesinistereventofthetrapmadehimfollowon。Accordingly，theyboreawaytowardsthetown，shoutingastheywent，andinduecourseemergeduponthehighway。
NearingSherton-Abbas，thepreviousinformationwasconfirmedbyotherstrollers，thoughthegentleman’ssupportingarmhaddisappearedfromtheselateraccounts。AtlasttheyweresonearShertonthatMelburyinformedhisfaithfulfollowersthathedidnotwishtodragthemfartheratsolateanhour，sincehecouldgoonaloneandinquireifthewomanwhohadbeenseenwerereallyGrace。Buttheywouldnotleavehimaloneinhisanxiety，andtrudgedonwardtillthelamplightfromthetownbegantoilluminatetheirfronts。AttheentrancetotheHighStreettheygotfreshscentofthepursued，butcoupledwiththenewconditionthattheladyinthecostumedescribedhadbeengoingupthestreetalone。
“Faith！——Ibelieveshe’smesmerized，orwalkinginhersleep。”
saidMelbury。
However，theidentityofthiswomanwithGracewasbynomeanscertain；buttheyploddedalongthestreet。Percombe，thehair-
dresser，whohaddespoiledMartyofhertresses，wasstandingathisdoor，andtheydulyputinquiriestohim。
“Ah——how’sLittleHintockfolkbynow？”hesaid，beforereplying。
“NeverhaveIbeenovertheresinceonewinternightsomethreeyearago——andthenIlostmyselffindingit。Howcanyeliveinsuchaone-eyedplace？GreatHintockisbadenough——hutLittleHintock——thebatsandowlswoulddrivememelancholy-mad！IttooktwodaystoraisemysperritstotheirtruepitchagainafterthatnightIwentthere。Mr。Melbury，sir，asaman’sthatputbymoney，whynotretireandlivehere，andseesomethingoftheworld？”
TheresponsesatlastgivenbyhimtotheirqueriesguidedthemtothebuildingthatofferedthebestaccommodationinSherton——
havingbeenenlargedcontemporaneouslywiththeconstructionoftherailway——namely，theEarlofWessexHotel。
Leavingtheotherswithout，Melburymadepromptinquiryhere。Hisalarmwaslessened，thoughhisperplexitywasincreased，whenhereceivedabriefreplythatsuchaladywasinthehouse。
