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Charley's attentions to his former mistress were unbounded The only solace to his own trouble lay in his attempts to relieve hers Hour after hour he considered her wants; he thought of her presence there with a sort of gratitude, and, while uttering imprecations on the cause of her unhappiness, in some measure blessed the result Perhaps she would always reht, and then he would be as happy as he had been before His dread was lest she should think fit to return to Alderworth, and in that dread his eyes, with all the inquisitiveness of affection, frequently sought her face when she was not observing him, as he would have watched the head of a stockdove to learn if it conte once really succoured her, and possibly preserved her frouardian's responsibility for her welfare

For this reason he busily endeavoured to provide her with pleasant distractions, bringing home curious objects which he found in the heath, such as white trumpet-shaped mosses, redheaded lichens, stone arrowheads used by the old tribes on Egdon, and faceted crystals from the hollows of flints These he deposited on the premises in such positions that she should see the out of the house Then she walked into the enclosed plot and looked through her grandfather's spyglass, as she had been in the habit of doing before her hroad crossed the distant valley, a heavily laden wagon passing along It was piled with household furniture She looked again and again, and recognized it to be her own In the evening her grandfather caht had removed that day from Alderworth to the old house at Bloo thus she beheld two fe in the vale The day was fine and clear; and the persons not being more than half a mile off she could see their every detail with the telescope The wo in front carried a white bundle in her are of drapery; and when the walkers turned, so that the sun fell more directly upon them, Eustacia could see that the object was a baby She called Charley, and asked hiuessed

"Mrs Wildeve and the nurse-girl," said Charley

"The nurse is carrying the baby?" said Eustacia

"No, 'tis Mrs Wildeve carrying that," he answered, "and the nurse walks behind carrying nothing"