"If you can't find an answer, I think you should ask Sewell. It seems to
me you are entitled to know."
Ingleby met his eyes for a moment, and then the blood rushed to his face
as he rose. He said nothing, but he saw Sewell leave the fire, and,
turning abruptly, he moved on behind him up the little trail to the
bakery, though he made no effort to overtake him. It was very dark
beneath the pines, and he felt that he must see the man he had believed
in. It seemed a very long while before he reached the bakery and, going
in quietly, saw Hetty regarding Sewell with a flash of scornful anger in
her eyes.
"Oh," she said, "it's perfectly plain to me! The girl tricked you. I
knew she would."
Then she started as she saw Ingleby in the doorway, though the flush in
her cheeks grew deeper and the little vindictive glow in her eyes
plainer still.
"You heard me, Walter? Well, he knows she did. Look at him," she said.
"If you will go away for about five minutes, Hetty, I shall be much
obliged to you," said Ingleby quietly. "Mr. Sewell has something to say
to me."
Hetty swung round and swept out of the room, and, when the door closed
behind her, Sewell sat down at the table, and Ingleby stood in front of
him. His face was grim, and his lips were tightly set.
"Well?" he said at length.
Sewell made a little gesture. "I can't admit that Hetty was quite
correct in one respect," he said. "It was my mad impulsiveness misled
me."
"I want to be quite clear," said Ingleby in a low, even voice. "You told
Miss Coulthurst the way to the Westerhouse Gully?"
"I did. If I were not sure that you knew it already, I would never have
admitted it to you."
A little grey patch showed in Ingleby's cheek, and the pain in his face
was unmistakable, while Sewell clenched one hand on the table as he
looked at him.
"Walter," he said, "what is Miss Coulthurst to you?"
"I don't know," said Ingleby, with a very bitter laugh. "I am not sure
that she is anything whatever to me. I, however, asked her to marry me
not so very long ago, and she led me to believe that when circumstances
were more propitious she might do so."
Sewell seemed to gasp, and his hand closed more tightly on the table;
but he said nothing, and Ingleby spoke again.
"I would," he said, "have believed in you, in spite of everything--but
there is nothing to be gained by reproaching you. Hetty was right, as
usual, and you never belonged to us, you know. There is, however,
something to be done, since it seems to me that it would be better to
keep out of the affair the girl who was apparently willing to look with
favour on both of us. You must be out of the valley before daylight
to-morrow."
Sewell stood up slowly and took a carefully folded packet from his
pocket. "I will be gone in half an hour," he said. "Take care of these.
They are the leaves that were under the bandage on Probyn's body, and
may go a little way towards clearing Tomlinson. I will not offer to
shake hands with you, Walter; but I would like you to believe that I was
sincere enough when I came into the valley. If it is any consolation to
you, my punishment will be heavy. My name will be a byword after what I
have done, and the work I once believed in must be left to clean-handed
men."
Ingleby took the packet. "I could have forgiven you for stealing Miss
Coulthurst's favour from me--since I scarcely think it was ever
mine--but, just now, at least, I can't forgive the rest," he said.
Sewell made no answer, and when he went out Ingleby sat down limply at
the table and, with his chin in his hand, gazed at the fire. For the
time even his physical strength seemed to have gone out of him. All his
faith had been given one man and one woman, and now it was clear that
both had betrayed him, and through him the miners who had placed their
confidence in him. He did not know how long he sat there, but he started
suddenly as he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder and saw Hetty
standing beside him.
"I am so sorry, Walter. Is it very hard?" she said.
Ingleby took her hand and held it.
"I believe you are sorry," he said. "After all, old friends are best. I
have been a colossal idiot, Hetty, and it does hurt a little to have the
recognition of a fact of that kind suddenly forced on one. Still, I must
go back to the boys now. There are several little points that must be
decided before to-morrow."