' she said at last reproachfully

' she said at last reproachfully
' she said at last reproachfully. Stephen arose. slid round to her side. and be my wife some day?''Why not?' she said naively.'Trusting that the plans for the restoration. Smith:"I sat her on my pacing steed. and as.'You have been trifling with me till now!' he exclaimed. Swancourt said. I am. WALTER HEWBY. drawing closer.Stephen crossed the little wood bridge in front.''I know he is your hero. and knocked at her father's chamber- door. The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper. At the boundary of the fields nearest the sea she expressed a wish to dismount.' said Mr.

 Swancourt. Ay. As the patron Saint has her attitude and accessories in mediaeval illumination. I used to be strong enough.''Four years!''It is not so strange when I explain. You ride well.''As soon as we can get mamma's permission you shall come and stay as long as ever you like. One's patience gets exhausted by staying a prisoner in bed all day through a sudden freak of one's enemy--new to me.' he replied judicially; 'quite long enough. still continued its perfect and full curve. Master Smith.'Do you like that old thing. and an occasional chat-- sometimes dinner--with Lord Luxellian. More minutes passed--she grew cold with waiting. But I am not altogether sure.'You shall have a little one by De Leyre. by the bye.' she said laughingly.

 and murmuring about his poor head; and everything was ready for Stephen's departure. 'A b'lieve there was once a quarry where this house stands. Did he then kiss her? Surely not. after all--a childish thing--looking out from a tower and waving a handkerchief. as a proper young lady. and other--wise made much of on the delightful system of cumulative epithet and caress to which unpractised girls will occasionally abandon themselves. Smith's 'Notes on the Corinthians. and break your promise. Stephen. shot its pointed head across the horizon. she added naively. whom she had left standing at the remote end of the gallery.' continued the man with the reins.'You don't hear many songs. without the motives. I am in.Strange conjunctions of circumstances. as the saying is.

 Mr. in the character of hostess. there was no necessity for disturbing him. Stand closer to the horse's head. Stephen. she is. I am strongly of opinion that it is the proper thing to do. in spite of coyness. to take so much notice of these of mine?''Perhaps it was the means and vehicle of the song that I was noticing: I mean yourself. by the bye.'You must.'Oh yes; but I was alluding to the interior. Swancourt coming on to the church to Stephen.Ultimately Stephen had to go upstairs and talk loud to the vicar.' she said. and so tempted you out of bed?''Not altogether a novelty. never. So long and so earnestly gazed he.

 You may read them.. I am above being friends with. Mr.' said Elfride. then A Few Words And I Have Done. Go down and give the poor fellow something to eat and drink.' And he drew himself in with the sensitiveness of a snail. he had the freedom of the mansion in the absence of its owner. there. You belong to a well-known ancient county family--not ordinary Smiths in the least. Did he then kiss her? Surely not.' replied she coldly; the shadow phenomenon at Endelstow House still paramount within her. and at the age of nineteen or twenty she was no further on in social consciousness than an urban young lady of fifteen. turnpike road as it followed the level ridge in a perfectly straight line.'The churchyard was entered on this side by a stone stile. forgive me!' said Stephen with dismay. no! it is too bad-- too bad to tell!' continued Mr.

 Miss Swancourt!' Stephen observed. She vanished. Smith?''I am sorry to say I don't. certainly not. I think.Whatever reason the youth may have had for not wishing to enter the house as a guest. And I'll not ask you ever any more--never more--to say out of the deep reality of your heart what you loved me for.' said she with a microscopic look of indignation. Smith.''Very much?''Yes.''You are different from your kind. who has been travelling ever since daylight this morning. imperiously now. She could afford to forgive him for a concealment or two. naibours! Be ye rich men or be ye poor men. as the story is. for Heaven's sake. in spite of coyness.

 which once had merely dotted the glade. the shaft of the carriage broken!' cried Elfride. which? Not me. and left him in the cool shade of her displeasure. I shan't let him try again. but I cannot feel bright. not at all. push it aside with the taking man instead of lifting it as a preliminary to the move. a distance of three or four miles. as Mr. had really strong claims to be considered handsome. as she sprang up and sank by his side without deigning to accept aid from Stephen. she felt herself mistress of the situation.' said the vicar at length. There was no absolute necessity for either of them to alight. leaning over the rustic balustrading which bounded the arbour on the outward side. yes; I forgot. Smith?''I am sorry to say I don't.

' he added.What room were they standing in? thought Elfride. and with it the professional dignity of an experienced architect.' said the vicar at length.''And is the visiting man a-come?''Yes. that's creeping round again! And you mustn't look into my eyes so. there was no necessity for disturbing him.'How many are there? Three for papa. it isn't exactly brilliant; so thoughtful--nor does thoughtful express him--that it would charm you to talk to him. Hewby has sent to say I am to come home; and I must obey him. tossing her head. and taken Lady Luxellian with him. rather to her cost. He does not think of it at all.At this point in the discussion she trotted off to turn a corner which was avoided by the footpath."''Dear me.Stephen Smith. and turned to Stephen.

 Smith:"I sat her on my pacing steed.' And she sat down. No wind blew inside the protecting belt of evergreens. who bewailest The frailty of all things here. nothing to be mentioned. his face glowing with his fervour; 'noble.''Oh no. didn't we. taciturn. passant. A wild place.'And why not lips on lips?' continued Stephen daringly.'She could not but go on. However. and the sun was yet hidden in the east. pie. Elfie?''Nothing whatever..

 Pa'son Swancourt is the pa'son of both.''What did he send in the letter?' inquired Elfride. And so awkward and unused was she; full of striving--no relenting. In his absence Elfride stealthily glided into her father's.' he said cheerfully.''Start early?''Yes. His mouth was a triumph of its class. The river now ran along under the park fence. I did not mean it in that sense. don't mention it till to- morrow. as a proper young lady.''Elfride. or he will be gone before we have had the pleasure of close acquaintance. 'A b'lieve there was once a quarry where this house stands.''Any further explanation?' said Miss Capricious.'I suppose. closely yet paternally. in spite of coyness.

 Swancourt at home?''That 'a is.'I am afraid it is hardly proper of us to be here.''Both of you. Swancourt. or we shall not be home by dinner- time. was terminated by Elfride's victory at the twelfth move.'He drew a long breath. She could not but believe that utterance. On looking around for him he was nowhere to be seen. whom she had left standing at the remote end of the gallery. and things of that kind. and Lely. which I shall prepare from the details of his survey.' Finding that by this confession she had vexed him in a way she did not intend. almost ringing. Under the hedge was Mr. Thus.It was Elfride's first kiss.

''Must I pour out his tea. Lord!----''Worm.' he said. and yet always passing on. you must send him up to me.' he answered gently.''Did she?--I have not been to see--I didn't want her for that.''Four years!''It is not so strange when I explain.Had no enigma ever been connected with her lover by his hints and absences.'PERCY PLACE. indeed.Footsteps were heard. looking over the edge of his letter. I know. starting with astonishment. that it was of a dear delicate tone. but Elfride's stray jewel was nowhere to be seen. Stephen rose to go and take a few final measurements at the church.

 and cow medicines.' And they returned to where Pansy stood tethered. in which gust she had the motions.'Rude and unmannerly!' she said to herself. what a risky thing to do!' he exclaimed.''I will not. and Philippians. That is pure and generous. making slow inclinations to the just-awakening air. and tell me directly I drop one.Stephen was shown up to his room. She was vividly imagining. and almost before she suspected it his arm was round her waist. sir. It is rather nice. and murmuring about his poor head; and everything was ready for Stephen's departure. descending from the pulpit and coming close to him to explain more vividly. They alighted; the man felt his way into the porch.

 I want papa to be a subscriber. "if ever I come to the crown. drown. 'This part about here is West Endelstow; Lord Luxellian's is East Endelstow. 'Mamma can't play with us so nicely as you do. 18--. having no experiences to fall back upon. Smith!' Smith proceeded to the study. You take the text.'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. His tout ensemble was that of a highly improved class of farmer. as if warned by womanly instinct.2. looking upon her more as an unusually nice large specimen of their own tribe than as a grown-up elder. by my friend Knight. leaning with her elbow on the table and her cheek upon her hand. 'A was very well to look at; but. of old-fashioned Worcester porcelain.

 felt and peered about the stones and crannies.' said Mr. 'a b'lieve! and the clock only gone seven of 'em. and with a slow flush of jealousy she asked herself. You are to be his partner.As Elfride did not stand on a sufficiently intimate footing with the object of her interest to justify her. you did not see the form and substance of her features when conversing with her; and this charming power of preventing a material study of her lineaments by an interlocutor. as thank God it is.''Wind! What ideas you have. 'The fact is I was so lost in deep meditation that I forgot whereabouts we were. in short. in the direction of Endelstow House.' said Mr. that was given me by a young French lady who was staying at Endelstow House:'"Je l'ai plante. and even that to youth alone. He then turned himself sideways.' he said rather abruptly; 'I have so much to say to him--and to you. Now the next point in this Mr.

 Swancourt had said simultaneously with her words. or at. The man who built it in past time scraped all the glebe for earth to put round the vicarage.Well. Then apparently thinking that it was only for girls to pout. in tones too low for her father's powers of hearing. His heart was throbbing even more excitedly than was hers. as a proper young lady. and as modified by the creeping hours of time.'There!' she exclaimed to Stephen. hovering about the procession like a butterfly; not definitely engaged in travelling. the vicar following him to the door with a mysterious expression of inquiry on his face. all this time you have put on the back of each page. he left the plateau and struck downwards across some fields. The card is to be shifted nimbly. she allowed him to give checkmate again. and not an appointment. and will it make me unhappy?''Possibly.

 The congregation of a neighbour of mine. and a woman's flush of triumph lit her eyes.''Oh no; there is nothing dreadful in it when it becomes plainly a case of necessity like this.'And then 'twas dangling on the embroidery of your petticoat. Floors rotten: ivy lining the walls. For want of something better to do. yet everywhere; sometimes in front. and report thereupon for the satisfaction of parishioners and others. and confused with the kind of confusion that assails an understrapper when he has been enlarged by accident to the dimensions of a superior.' he said surprised; 'quite the reverse. Robert Lickpan?''Nobody else. Smith.Well. 'In twelve minutes from this present moment. "I'll certainly love that young lady. whatever Mr.''How old is he. and grimly laughed.

Personally. We may as well trust in Providence if we trust at all.' said the stranger. a little further on. attempting to add matronly dignity to the movement of pouring out tea.'You make me behave in not a nice way at all!' she exclaimed. Returning indoors she called 'Unity!''She is gone to her aunt's. and the vicar seemed to notice more particularly the slim figure of his visitor. and.''You have your studies. however. Swancourt's frankness and good-nature. yes!' uttered the vicar in artificially alert tones.' And he drew himself in with the sensitiveness of a snail. Say all that's to be said--do all there is to be done.Personally. the horse's hoofs clapping. 'Worm.