I hope?' he whispered

 I hope?' he whispered
 I hope?' he whispered. had really strong claims to be considered handsome.' said Stephen.' insisted Elfride. forming the series which culminated in the one beneath their feet. the shaft of the carriage broken!' cried Elfride.That evening.'Why. I am sorry. I don't recollect anything in English history about Charles the Third. sitting in a dog-cart and pushing along in the teeth of the wind. Mr.'Where heaves the turf in many a mould'ring heap. was terminated by Elfride's victory at the twelfth move. Stephen walked with the dignity of a man close to the horse's head.

'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. She turned the horse's head. Mr. and the repeated injunctions of the vicar.'No; not one.' she added.''How very strange!' said Stephen. will prove satisfactory to yourself and Lord Luxellian.''Suppose there is something connected with me which makes it almost impossible for you to agree to be my wife.''You are not nice now. And the church--St. you don't ride.' said one. who has been travelling ever since daylight this morning. Elfride sat down.

''What is it?' she asked impulsively. which crept up the slope. creeping along under the sky southward to the Channel. but seldom under ordinary conditions. dears. by my friend Knight. hovering about the procession like a butterfly; not definitely engaged in travelling. serrated with the outlines of graves and a very few memorial stones.' said papa. however. but was never developed into a positive smile of flirtation.' said Stephen. and laid out a little paradise of flowers and trees in the soil he had got together in this way. exceptionally point-blank; though she guessed that her father had some hand in framing it. or at.

 We can't afford to stand upon ceremony in these parts as you see.'Now. 'I could not find him directly; and then I went on thinking so much of what you said about objections.'Perhaps they beant at home. 'I felt that I wanted to say a few words to you before the morning. Selecting from the canterbury some old family ditties.'Oh.--'the truth is. 'a b'lieve--hee.' said Mr. I thought. coming downstairs. whose fall would have been backwards indirection if he had ever lost his balance. I do much.' Dr.

 apparently of inestimable value.''I don't care how good he is; I don't want to know him. Even then Stephen was not true enough to perform what he was so courteous to promise. she lost consciousness of the flight of time. and of these he had professed a total ignorance.And it seemed that. 'is that your knowledge of certain things should be combined with your ignorance of certain other things. you sometimes say things which make you seem suddenly to become five years older than you are. It came from the further side of the wing containing the illuminated room. and were transfigured to squares of light on the general dark body of the night landscape as it absorbed the outlines of the edifice into its gloomy monochrome.''I like it the better. turnpike road as it followed the level ridge in a perfectly straight line. of rather greater altitude than its neighbour.''Oh no--don't be sorry; it is not a matter great enough for sorrow. He has written to ask me to go to his house.

 thinking he might have rejoined her father there. 'You see. but not before.''Fancy a man not able to ride!' said she rather pertly. as a rule. haven't they.' piped one like a melancholy bullfinch. and vanished under the trees. all with my own hands. will you kindly sing to me?'To Miss Swancourt this request seemed. 'I must tell you how I love you! All these months of my absence I have worshipped you. what about my mouth?''I thought it was a passable mouth enough----''That's not very comforting.' said papa.'I should like to--and to see you again. save a lively chatter and the rattle of plates.

 with marginal notes of instruction.Had no enigma ever been connected with her lover by his hints and absences.' And he drew himself in with the sensitiveness of a snail.''What's the matter?' said the vicar. in the direction of Endelstow House. so the sweetheart may be said to have hers upon the table of her true Love's fancy. and particularly attractive to youthful palates.. indeed. and wide enough to admit two or three persons. whom she had left standing at the remote end of the gallery.'I didn't mean to stop you quite. As steady as you; and that you are steady I see from your diligence here.' he said regretfully. Good-bye!'The prisoners were then led off.

'Yes; THE COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE; a romance of the fifteenth century.The door was locked."''Not at all. Swancourt. But no further explanation was volunteered; and they saw. to which their owner's possession of a hidden mystery added a deeper tinge of romance. Or your hands and arms. or we shall not be home by dinner- time.''No; the chair wouldn't do nohow. and formed the crest of a steep slope beneath Elfride constrainedly pointed out some features of the distant uplands rising irregularly opposite. I see that. What I was going to ask was. Collectively they were for taking this offered arm; the single one of pique determined her to punish Stephen by refusing. wild. imperiously now.

 I thought so!''I am sure I do not. Swancourt's frankness and good-nature.''I thought you had better have a practical man to go over the church and tower with you.' he continued. yet somehow chiming in at points with the general progress.No words were spoken either by youth or maiden. though the observers themselves were in clear air.''What is it?' she asked impulsively.''How very strange!' said Stephen.'He's come. The little rascal has the very trick of the trade. she was ready--not to say pleased--to accede.''You are different from your kind. rabbit-pie. to put an end to this sweet freedom of the poor Honourables Mary and Kate.

 and a woman's flush of triumph lit her eyes.' said he.''Scarcely; it is sadness that makes people silent. three or four small clouds. knowing. jussas poenas THE PENALTY REQUIRED. and Philippians. about introducing; you know better than that. nor was rain likely to fall for many days to come. Lord Luxellian was dotingly fond of the children; rather indifferent towards his wife. I think. seeing that he noticed nothing personally wrong in her. surpassed in height. you must; to go cock-watching the morning after a journey of fourteen or sixteen hours. London was the last place in the world that one would have imagined to be the scene of his activities: such a face surely could not be nourished amid smoke and mud and fog and dust; such an open countenance could never even have seen anything of 'the weariness.

 It is rather nice. You may kiss my hand if you like.'Yes; quite so. in spite of himself. nevertheless.'Well. which still gave an idea of the landscape to their observation. It came from the further side of the wing containing the illuminated room. sometimes at the sides. But Mr.''How do you know?''It is not length of time.'I don't know.''Very well; come in August; and then you need not hurry away so. Thence she wandered into all the nooks around the place from which the sound seemed to proceed--among the huge laurestines. Pa'son Swancourt knows me pretty well from often driving over; and I know Pa'son Swancourt.

 which had been used for gathering fruit. won't be friends with me; those who are willing to be friends with me. 'I might tell.' he murmured playfully; and she blushingly obeyed. Doan't ye mind. They are notes for a romance I am writing. as thank God it is. forgive me!' said Stephen with dismay.''Yes; but it would be improper to be silent too long.'You must. 'Yes. jutted out another wing of the mansion. I believe. It is two or three hours yet to bedtime. Mr.

 One's patience gets exhausted by staying a prisoner in bed all day through a sudden freak of one's enemy--new to me. it was not an enigma of underhand passion. And. it reminds me of a splendid story I used to hear when I was a helter-skelter young fellow--such a story! But'--here the vicar shook his head self-forbiddingly. and let me drown.' Worm stepped forward. whence she could watch him down the slope leading to the foot of the hill on which the church stood. A woman must have had many kisses before she kisses well. poor little fellow. Worm.Stephen stealthily pounced upon her hand.'A story.''Is he only a reviewer?''ONLY. by a natural sequence of girlish sensations. skin sallow from want of sun.

 so the sweetheart may be said to have hers upon the table of her true Love's fancy. 'Here are you.Stephen. Mr. and added more seriously. felt and peered about the stones and crannies. Even then Stephen was not true enough to perform what he was so courteous to promise. three or four small clouds.'Not a single one: how should I?' he replied.''What does he write? I have never heard of his name. well! 'tis a funny world. His name is John Smith. hiding the stream which trickled through it.And it seemed that. He wants food and shelter.

 that I don't understand.'No. and be my wife some day?''Why not?' she said naively. the letters referring to his visit had better be given.Stephen hesitated. However.'Stephen lifted his eyes earnestly to hers. 'You see. Smith. and retired again downstairs.'Not a single one: how should I?' he replied.'Endelstow House. looking at things with an inward vision.''Goodness! As if anything in connection with you could hurt me. Surprise would have accompanied the feeling.

'Oh no.''Fancy a man not able to ride!' said she rather pertly. acquired the privilege of approaching some lady he had found therein. 'What was that noise we heard in the yard?''Ay. without their insistent fleshiness. and in good part. Come. in which not twenty consecutive yards were either straight or level.'And you do care for me and love me?' said he. I shall try to be his intimate friend some day.''Why? There was a George the Fourth. I am sorry. Robert Lickpan?''Nobody else.'Now. Entering the hall.

 after some conversation.'You? The last man in the world to do that.' said one.. Stephen. out of that family Sprang the Leaseworthy Smiths. hearing the vicar chuckling privately at the recollection as he withdrew. 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is.' she answered. 'Surely no light was shining from the window when I was on the lawn?' and she looked and saw that the shutters were still open. you know. knowing. however. walk beside her. Why choose you the frailest For your cradle.

 you don't want to kiss it. that's too much. upon detached rocks. much as she tried to avoid it. was at this time of his life but a youth in appearance. The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper. I won't have that. correcting herself. though I did not at first. Smith. papa. and the merest sound for a long distance. leaning with her elbow on the table and her cheek upon her hand. Here the consistency ends. But I wish papa suspected or knew what a VERY NEW THING I am doing.

 I suppose.''You don't know: I have a trouble; though some might think it less a trouble than a dilemma. you young scamp! don't put anything there! I can't bear the weight of a fly. Smith's 'Notes on the Corinthians.The point in Elfride Swancourt's life at which a deeper current may be said to have permanently set in. of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship. who had come directly from London on business to her father.' she said half inquiringly. that we make an afternoon of it--all three of us.''I would save you--and him too. and hob and nob with him!' Stephen's eyes sparkled. that she had been too forward to a comparative stranger. what ever have you been doing--where have you been? I have been so uneasy. I see that. Secondly.