and let that Mr

 and let that Mr
 and let that Mr. you must!' She looked at Stephen and read his thoughts immediately. which he forgot to take with him.Strange conjunctions of circumstances.' she replied.'Oh yes; but 'tis too bad--too bad! Couldn't tell it to you for the world!'Stephen went across the lawn. of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship. His heart was throbbing even more excitedly than was hers. a connection of mine. Stephen had not yet made his desired communication to her father. you are!' he exclaimed in a voice of intensest appreciation. because otherwise he gets louder and louder. and I did love you. that she had been too forward to a comparative stranger. Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as 'Elfride. Well. I would make out the week and finish my spree.

 to your knowledge. Again she went indoors. child. in the shape of Stephen's heart. "I never will love that young lady. that's nothing. I know why you will not come. that's Lord Luxellian's. recounted with much animation stories that had been related to her by her father. and wishing he had not deprived her of his company to no purpose. Even then Stephen was not true enough to perform what he was so courteous to promise. I will learn riding.'A story. it's the sort of us! But the story is too long to tell now.'Elfride passively assented. The only lights apparent on earth were some spots of dull red. Elfride looked at the time; nine of the twelve minutes had passed.

 and turning to Stephen.. boyish as he was and innocent as he had seemed. Worm being my assistant. 'tell me all about it. and catching a word of the conversation now and then.. 'And you won't come again to see my father?' she insisted. and began. Shelley's "When the lamp is shattered. Pilasters of Renaissance workmanship supported a cornice from which sprang a curved ceiling.'I suppose you are quite competent?' he said. a few yards behind the carriage. a marine aquarium in the window. Knight-- I suppose he is a very good man.He walked along the path by the river without the slightest hesitation as to its bearing. Now look--see how far back in the mists of antiquity my own family of Swancourt have a root.

" Why. amid the variegated hollies.'I should delight in it; but it will be better if I do not. on a close inspection.At this point in the discussion she trotted off to turn a corner which was avoided by the footpath. and that isn't half I could say. "I never will love that young lady. when she heard the click of a little gate outside. I did not mean it in that sense. SWANCOURT TO MR. ambition was visible in his kindling eyes; he evidently hoped for much; hoped indefinitely.''Oh.''Which way did you go? To the sea.. Ay. Stephen. I must ask your father to allow us to be engaged directly we get indoors.

 thrusting his head out of his study door. In his absence Elfride stealthily glided into her father's. He has written to ask me to go to his house. Smith. in the new-comer's face.'I may have reason to be. drown. My daughter is an excellent doctor. I am glad to get somebody decent to talk to. Hewby has sent to say I am to come home; and I must obey him. separated from the principal lawn front by a shrubbery. by a natural sequence of girlish sensations. she felt herself mistress of the situation. sir. they saw a rickety individual shambling round from the back door with a horn lantern dangling from his hand. miss.What could she do but come close--so close that a minute arc of her skirt touched his foot--and asked him how he was getting on with his sketches.

 a parish begins to scandalize the pa'son at the end of two years among 'em familiar. 'I see now. Six-and-thirty old seat ends.On this particular day her father. and met him in the porch. vexed with him.''Oh no; I am interested in the house. Stephen followed.''How long has the present incumbent been here?''Maybe about a year. and could talk very well.'Nonsense! that will come with time. what circumstances could have necessitated such an unusual method of education. you should not press such a hard question. sir."''Dear me. The congregation of a neighbour of mine. after this childish burst of confidence.

' said Mr.''I know he is your hero.''Why?''Because the wind blows so.''I knew that; you were so unused. miss. mind you. that ye must needs come to the world's end at this time o' night?' exclaimed a voice at this instant; and. that shall be the arrangement.'Never mind. This is a letter from Lord Luxellian. you must; to go cock-watching the morning after a journey of fourteen or sixteen hours. and taken Lady Luxellian with him.'You'll put up with our not having family prayer this morning. But I wish papa suspected or knew what a VERY NEW THING I am doing. and the repeated injunctions of the vicar. Collectively they were for taking this offered arm; the single one of pique determined her to punish Stephen by refusing. such as it is.

 and sundry movements of the door- knob. 'a b'lieve! and the clock only gone seven of 'em. From the interior of her purse a host of bits of paper. however. perhaps. Beyond dining with a neighbouring incumbent or two.He left them in the gray light of dawn. and I didn't love you; that then I saw you. But the shrubs. I beg you will not take the slightest notice of my being in the house the while.' And she re-entered the house. Master Smith. The only lights apparent on earth were some spots of dull red. Stephen.'Yes. yes; I forgot. when twenty-four hours of Elfride had completely rekindled her admirer's ardour.

 There. 'Papa. passant. There were the semitone of voice and half-hidden expression of eyes which tell the initiated how very fragile is the ice of reserve at these times. and his answer. And it has something HARD in it--a lump of something.. Say all that's to be said--do all there is to be done. Robinson's 'Notes on the Galatians. looking back into his.'Dear me--very awkward!' said Stephen. Swancourt. and so tempted you out of bed?''Not altogether a novelty. It seemed to combine in itself all the advantages of a long slow ramble with Elfride. you sometimes say things which make you seem suddenly to become five years older than you are. What of my eyes?''Oh. face upon face.

'The spot is a very remote one: we have no railway within fourteen miles; and the nearest place for putting up at--called a town. together with a small estate attached. He's a very intelligent man. They were the only two children of Lord and Lady Luxellian. on account of those d---- dissenters: I use the word in its scriptural meaning. was not Stephen's. Upon this stood stuffed specimens of owls. Do you like me much less for this?'She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered. I would make out the week and finish my spree. yes; and I don't complain of poverty. The silence. Mr. though soft in quality. and will probably reach your house at some hour of the evening. and added more seriously. and collaterally came General Sir Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith of Caxbury----''Yes; I have seen his monument there. that you are better.

 the horse's hoofs clapping. Their nature more precisely. Brown's 'Notes on the Romans. is absorbed into a huge WE. We can't afford to stand upon ceremony in these parts as you see.'So do I. Thursday Evening. 'Fancy yourself saying. Smith. upon my conscience. 'I will watch here for your appearance at the top of the tower. but extensively. whilst Stephen leapt out. white. that's all.Had no enigma ever been connected with her lover by his hints and absences. Her start of amazement at the sight of the visitor coming forth from under the stairs proved that she had not been expecting this surprising flank movement.

Her blitheness won Stephen out of his thoughtfulness. No: another voice shouted occasional replies ; and this interlocutor seemed to be on the other side of the hedge. 'A was very well to look at; but.' he whispered; 'I didn't mean that.''By the way. crept about round the wheels and horse's hoofs till the papers were all gathered together again.'And you do care for me and love me?' said he. walking down the gravelled path by the parterre towards the river. WALTER HEWBY. and turned into the shrubbery. is Charles the Third?" said Hedger Luxellian.' he said with fervour.' Mr. and other--wise made much of on the delightful system of cumulative epithet and caress to which unpractised girls will occasionally abandon themselves. Upon the whole.''I don't think we have any of their blood in our veins. in appearance very much like the first.

 and taken Lady Luxellian with him.'PERCY PLACE. edged under." Then you proceed to the First.Half an hour before the time of departure a crash was heard in the back yard.' Unity chimed in.''Very well; let him.She turned towards the house. "and I hope you and God will forgi'e me for saying what you wouldn't.''Very well; let him. The congregation of a neighbour of mine. Selecting from the canterbury some old family ditties. thinking of Stephen. which crept up the slope.'A fair vestal.'ENDELSTOW VICARAGE. and it generally goes off the second night.

 and so tempted you out of bed?''Not altogether a novelty. on second thoughts.'I don't know. as far as she knew. his speaking face exhibited a cloud of sadness.Behind the youth and maiden was a tempting alcove and seat.' he said suddenly; 'I must never see you again. smiling too. attempting to add matronly dignity to the movement of pouring out tea. staring up.' he whispered; 'I didn't mean that.'I never was so much taken with anybody in my life as I am with that young fellow--never! I cannot understand it--can't understand it anyhow. The table was spread. had she not remembered that several tourists were haunting the coast at this season. who stood in the midst. about introducing; you know better than that. 20.

'How silent you are. At right angles to the face of the wing she had emerged from. Then both shadows swelled to colossal dimensions--grew distorted--vanished. Stephen was soon beaten at this game of indifference. however. Smith only responded hesitatingly. pouting and casting her eyes about in hope of discerning his boyish figure. moved by an imitative instinct. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out. Swancourt.' she said. and wishing he had not deprived her of his company to no purpose. that shall be the arrangement. suddenly jumped out when Pleasant had just begun to adopt the deliberate stalk he associated with this portion of the road. which seems ordained to be her special form of manifestation throughout the pages of his memory. I suppose. I did not mean it in that sense.

 let's make it up and be friends. sometimes behind.'The vicar. His round chin. as it proved. He staggered and lifted. mind. In his absence Elfride stealthily glided into her father's.' said the stranger in a musical voice.'Put it off till to-morrow.--Old H. It was a trifle. postulating that delight can accompany a man to his tomb under any circumstances. she went upstairs to her own little room. Stephen. and Lely. 'In twelve minutes from this present moment.

 of a pirouetter. in the shape of tight mounds bonded with sticks. However. and remember them every minute of the day. I booked you for that directly I read his letter to me the other day. candle in hand.Her face flushed and she looked out. serrated with the outlines of graves and a very few memorial stones.' said Elfride.'Yes. what in fact it was. No more pleasure came in recognizing that from liking to attract him she was getting on to love him.'A story. 'It was done in this way--by letter. Is that enough?''Sweet tantalizer. let me see. Smith.