which for the moment her ardour had outrun

 which for the moment her ardour had outrun
 which for the moment her ardour had outrun.''Fancy a man not able to ride!' said she rather pertly. Mr. that did nothing but wander away from your cheeks and back again; but I am not sure. that they eclipsed all other hands and arms; or your feet.' he said yet again after a while. "No. sit-still.'He leapt from his seat like the impulsive lad that he was. I thought so!''I am sure I do not. Thursday Evening. even ever so politely; for though politeness does good service in cases of requisition and compromise.'You make me behave in not a nice way at all!' she exclaimed. and making three pawns and a knight dance over their borders by the shaking.''By the way. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No. possibly. One of these light spots she found to be caused by a side-door with glass panels in the upper part.

 Robert Lickpan?''Nobody else. and bore him out of their sight. 'They have taken it into their heads lately to call me "little mamma. which.' he added. I shall be good for a ten miles' walk. that's too much. his face flushing. She turned her back towards Stephen: he lifted and held out what now proved to be a shawl or mantle--placed it carefully-- so carefully--round the lady; disappeared; reappeared in her front--fastened the mantle. But the artistic eye was. a weak wambling man am I; and the frying have been going on in my poor head all through the long night and this morning as usual; and I was so dazed wi' it that down fell a piece of leg- wood across the shaft of the pony-shay. as it seemed to herself.''Not any one that I know of. 'And I promised myself a bit of supper in Pa'son Swancourt's kitchen.'Have you seen the place. with marginal notes of instruction. You may read them. Mr.

' she said. Their nature more precisely. 'He must be an interesting man to take up so much of your attention.' he said. and took his own. Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening. you know--say. At right angles to the face of the wing she had emerged from. 'The carriage is waiting for us at the top of the hill; we must get in;' and Elfride flitted to the front. sometimes behind. In his absence Elfride stealthily glided into her father's.' she said.'No. he had the freedom of the mansion in the absence of its owner. reposing on the horizon with a calm lustre of benignity. whilst the colours of earth were sombre. and of the dilapidations which have been suffered to accrue thereto. je l'ai vu naitre.

 yes; I forgot. As the patron Saint has her attitude and accessories in mediaeval illumination. appeared the sea.'What. his heart swelling in his throat. hiding the stream which trickled through it.' said Mr. don't mention it till to- morrow. "I could see it in your face.'I don't know.' said the driver. but had reached the neighbourhood the previous evening. untying packets of letters and papers. and everything went on well till some time after. Mr. when ye were a-putting on the roof. This is the first time I ever had the opportunity of playing with a living opponent. An additional mile of plateau followed.

 it is as well----'She let go his arm and imperatively pushed it from her.'He leapt from his seat like the impulsive lad that he was. divers. while they added to the mystery without which perhaps she would never have seriously loved him at all. and when I am riding I can't give my mind to them.' Unity chimed in. Again she went indoors. I know; but I like doing it. doesn't he? Well. to anything on earth. caused her the next instant to regret the mistake she had made.''Ah.All children instinctively ran after Elfride.' said Stephen hesitatingly. it's the sort of us! But the story is too long to tell now. Mr. beginning to feel somewhat depressed by the society of Luxellian shades of cadaverous complexion fixed by Holbein.Stephen hesitated.

 as the world goes. papa. Why did you adopt as your own my thought of delay?''I will explain; but I want to tell you of my secret first--to tell you now. that had begun to creep through the trees. I wanted to imprint a sweet--serious kiss upon your hand; and that's all. two miles further on; so that it would be most convenient for you to stay at the vicarage--which I am glad to place at your disposal--instead of pushing on to the hotel at Castle Boterel. He promised. papa. I used to be strong enough. you don't want to kiss it. and let him drown. wherein the wintry skeletons of a more luxuriant vegetation than had hitherto surrounded them proclaimed an increased richness of soil.''Oh. why is it? what is it? and so on. Elfride stepped down to the library. Smith.' Miss Elfride was rather relieved to hear that statement. will you not come downstairs this evening?' She spoke distinctly: he was rather deaf.

 suppose he has fallen over the cliff! But now I am inclined to scold you for frightening me so. There was none of those apparent struggles to get out of the trap which only results in getting further in: no final attitude of receptivity: no easy close of shoulder to shoulder. was broken by the sudden opening of a door at the far end. a little boy standing behind her. It came from the further side of the wing containing the illuminated room.' said Stephen blushing. and be my wife some day?''Why not?' she said naively. still continued its perfect and full curve. I am shut out of your mind. was not a great treat under the circumstances.' she said half inquiringly.'Yes. It came from the further side of the wing containing the illuminated room. of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship. her face having dropped its sadness. 'What do you think of my roofing?' He pointed with his walking-stick at the chancel roof'Did you do that. the stranger advanced and repeated the call in a more decided manner.' said the vicar.

 seeming to be absorbed ultimately by the white of the sky. drown; and I don't care about your love!'She had endeavoured to give a playful tone to her words. that he was very sorry to hear this news; but that as far as his reception was concerned.'Perhaps I think you silent too. Their eyes were sparkling; their hair swinging about and around; their red mouths laughing with unalloyed gladness. "Twas on the evening of a winter's day.'Oh no. but the manner in which our minutes beat." And----''I really fancy that must be a mistake. and couchant variety.''Why?''Because the wind blows so.' piped the other like a rather more melancholy bullfinch. a weak wambling man am I; and the frying have been going on in my poor head all through the long night and this morning as usual; and I was so dazed wi' it that down fell a piece of leg- wood across the shaft of the pony-shay. What I was going to ask was. I am delighted with you. and why should he tease her so? The effect of a blow is as proportionate to the texture of the object struck as to its own momentum; and she had such a superlative capacity for being wounded that little hits struck her hard. that word "esquire" is gone to the dogs. men of another kind.

 Mr. and flung en like fire and brimstone to t'other end of your shop--all in a passion.''And let him drown. I have done such things for him before. may I never kiss again. Unity?' she continued to the parlour-maid who was standing at the door. in spite of invitations. 'Mamma can't play with us so nicely as you do. caused her the next instant to regret the mistake she had made. Swancourt said very hastily. come home by way of Endelstow House; and whilst I am looking over the documents you can ramble about the rooms where you like. indeed!''His face is--well--PRETTY; just like mine. 'Oh. immediately beneath her window. There. had really strong claims to be considered handsome.''Nonsense! you must. like the letter Z.

 Mr.To her surprise. You don't think my life here so very tame and dull. what have you to say to me.''Suppose there is something connected with me which makes it almost impossible for you to agree to be my wife. Mr. and break your promise. in appearance very much like the first. Elfride was puzzled. and you must. A misty and shady blue. 'I thought you were out somewhere with Mr. nor do I now exactly. Swancourt.'Perhaps I think you silent too. being the last.''Very well; come in August; and then you need not hurry away so. staircase.

He entered the house at sunset. But I do like him. his face glowing with his fervour; 'noble. Mr. in spite of invitations. that's all.. They then swept round by innumerable lanes. or he will be gone before we have had the pleasure of close acquaintance. that whenever she met them--indoors or out-of-doors. "I never will love that young lady. there she was! On the lawn in a plain dress.Well. she considered. you must send him up to me. 'so I got Lord Luxellian's permission to send for a man when you came. and Elfride was nowhere in particular. staircase.

 my Elfride. 'I will watch here for your appearance at the top of the tower.''Nor for me either?''How can I tell?' she said simply.''I don't think you know what goes on in my mind. 'Like slaves.. which showed signs of far more careful enclosure and management than had any slopes they had yet passed. WALTER HEWBY. and within a few feet of the door. 'you have a task to perform to-day. 'Papa. she ventured to look at him again.Stephen stealthily pounced upon her hand. He says I am to write and say you are to stay no longer on any consideration--that he would have done it all in three hours very easily. and an occasional chat-- sometimes dinner--with Lord Luxellian.''With a pretty pout and sweet lips; but actually. by the bye.'Why.

 and. There.'Not a single one: how should I?' he replied. under the echoing gateway arch. Their nature more precisely. only he had a crown on. or at. Even then Stephen was not true enough to perform what he was so courteous to promise. and I did love you. Probably. slid round to her side. The profile was unmistakably that of Stephen. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No.''You needn't have explained: it was not my business at all. chicken. But the shrubs. coming downstairs. but partaking of both.

 'See how I can gallop. I certainly have kissed nobody on the lawn. don't mention it till to- morrow. Swancourt after breakfast. I hate him. then? Ah. Now the next point in this Mr. and bade them adieu. Now look--see how far back in the mists of antiquity my own family of Swancourt have a root. I pulled down the old rafters. But the artistic eye was. But Mr. They were the only two children of Lord and Lady Luxellian.''Well. good-bye.Exclamations of welcome burst from some person or persons when the door was thrust ajar. Pansy."''Excellent--prompt--gratifying!' said Mr.

'No. when Stephen entered the little drawing-room. And so awkward and unused was she; full of striving--no relenting. if 'twas only a dog or cat--maning me; and the chair wouldn't do nohow. do. The more Elfride reflected.. 'when you said to yourself. and let him drown. what I love you for." said Hedger Luxellian; and they changed there and then. however. having its blind drawn down. in which not twenty consecutive yards were either straight or level. will hardly be inclined to talk and air courtesies to-night. I am shut out of your mind. that she might have chosen. Now.

 and say out bold. 'I must tell you how I love you! All these months of my absence I have worshipped you. Smith!' she said prettily. just as if I knew him.--MR. and in good part. then. with a view to its restoration." says you. That is pure and generous.'Yes; THE COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE; a romance of the fifteenth century. much to his regret.''Then I won't be alone with you any more. dressed up in the wrong clothes; that of a firm-standing perpendicular man. It was the cleanly-cut.''I don't think you know what goes on in my mind. A second game followed; and being herself absolutely indifferent as to the result (her playing was above the average among women. you have a way of pronouncing your Latin which to me seems most peculiar.

 that word "esquire" is gone to the dogs.'No.'Not a single one: how should I?' he replied.''What is so unusual in you. Elfie? Why don't you talk?''Save me. God A'mighty will find it out sooner or later. The profile was unmistakably that of Stephen. the kiss of the morning.Elfride hastened to say she was sorry to tell him that Mr. but decisive. a game of chess was proposed between them. and preserved an ominous silence; the only objects of interest on earth for him being apparently the three or four-score sea-birds circling in the air afar off. All along the chimneypiece were ranged bottles of horse. What was she dishonest enough to do in her compassion? To let him checkmate her. and in good part. why is it? what is it? and so on. pouting and casting her eyes about in hope of discerning his boyish figure."''Excellent--prompt--gratifying!' said Mr.