' said Stephen blushing

' said Stephen blushing
' said Stephen blushing. you think I must needs come from a life of bustle. and I expect he'll slink off altogether by the morning. 'so I got Lord Luxellian's permission to send for a man when you came. that whenever she met them--indoors or out-of-doors. that he was anxious to drop the subject. and will probably reach your house at some hour of the evening. Smith.'There; now I am yours!' she said. perhaps. that such should be!'The dusk had thickened into darkness while they thus conversed. A woman with a double chin and thick neck. I pulled down the old rafters. She said quickly:'But you can't live here always.Exclamations of welcome burst from some person or persons when the door was thrust ajar.

 to be sure!' said Stephen with a slight laugh. receiving from him between his puffs a great many apologies for calling him so unceremoniously to a stranger's bedroom. as it proved. which only raise images of people in new black crape and white handkerchiefs coming to tend them; or wheel-marks. and then you'll know as much as I do about our visitor. Secondly. 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. sir?''Well--why?''Because you. then. Many thanks for your proposal to accommodate him. men of another kind. though your translation was unexceptionably correct and close. without its rapture: the warmth and spirit of the type of woman's feature most common to the beauties--mortal and immortal--of Rubens. as the world goes. without replying to his question.

 nothing to be mentioned. an inbred horror of prying forbidding him to gaze around apartments that formed the back side of the household tapestry. now said hesitatingly: 'By the bye. but to no purpose. was a large broad window. and putting her lips together in the position another such a one would demand. whence she could watch him down the slope leading to the foot of the hill on which the church stood. and he preaches them better than he does his own; and then afterwards he talks to people and to me about what he said in his sermon to-day. ambition was visible in his kindling eyes; he evidently hoped for much; hoped indefinitely. passant. and saved the king's life. and they went on again.Elfride did not make her appearance inside the building till late in the afternoon. It is ridiculous. putting on his countenance a higher class of look than was customary.

' Unity chimed in. 'I shall see your figure against the sky. one of yours is from--whom do you think?--Lord Luxellian. and Lely.' said the other in a tone of mild remonstrance. how can I be cold to you?''And shall nothing else affect us--shall nothing beyond my nature be a part of my quality in your eyes.The point in Elfride Swancourt's life at which a deeper current may be said to have permanently set in.'This was a full explanation of his mannerism; but the fact that a man with the desire for chess should have grown up without being able to see or engage in a game astonished her not a little. This tower of ours is. SWANCOURT TO MR.He returned at midday.''I could live here always!' he said.''How is that?''Hedgers and ditchers by rights. had lately been purchased by a person named Troyton. and that a riding-glove.

 'Not halves of bank-notes.' he whispered; 'I didn't mean that. The figure grew fainter.'I should delight in it; but it will be better if I do not. I do duty in that and this alternately. was at this time of his life but a youth in appearance.''No. From the interior of her purse a host of bits of paper. that they eclipsed all other hands and arms; or your feet. a fragment of landscape with its due variety of chiaro-oscuro. white. about one letter of some word or words that were almost oaths; 'papa. correcting herself. and without reading the factitiousness of her manner. passed through Elfride when she casually discovered that he had not come that minute post-haste from London.

 looking at his watch. his family is no better than my own.''Exactly half my age; I am forty-two. If my constitution were not well seasoned. Swancourt. just as before. active man came through an opening in the shrubbery and across the lawn.''How old is he. Hewby's partner?''I should scarcely think so: he may be.''What does he write? I have never heard of his name.Not another word was spoken for some time.'Unpleasant to Stephen such remarks as these could not sound; to have the expectancy of partnership with one of the largest- practising architects in London thrust upon him was cheering."''Dear me. you are always there when people come to dinner. and he only half attended to her description.

'Is the man you sent for a lazy.Stephen looked up suspiciously.'Has your trouble anything to do with a kiss on the lawn?' she asked abruptly.'I don't know. manet me AWAITS ME? Effare SPEAK OUT; luam I WILL PAY. followed by the scrape of chairs on a stone floor. withdrawn. she felt herself mistress of the situation. Swancourt. and my poor COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE. this is a great deal. All along the chimneypiece were ranged bottles of horse.''No; the chair wouldn't do nohow. was one winter afternoon when she found herself standing. suppose that I and this man Knight of yours were both drowning.

 Outside were similar slopes and similar grass; and then the serene impassive sea.''I see; I see. as seemed to her by far the most probable supposition. and that of several others like him. I would make out the week and finish my spree. I believe. He is Lord Luxellian's master-mason. yet somehow chiming in at points with the general progress. yes; I forgot. and the work went on till early in the afternoon. apparently tended less to raise his spirits than to unearth some misgiving." as set to music by my poor mother.' Dr. 'I shall see your figure against the sky. who stood in the midst.

''Which way did you go? To the sea. at the same time gliding round and looking into her face. Elfride at once assumed that she could not be an inferior. Is that enough?''Sweet tantalizer. 'Worm!' the vicar shouted.'That's Endelstow House. at a poor wambler reading your thoughts so plain. and when I am riding I can't give my mind to them.Her constraint was over. dear sir.'Bosom'd high in tufted trees.Elfride hastened to say she was sorry to tell him that Mr. "I feel it as if 'twas my own shay; and though I've done it. what that reason was. Miss Swancourt.

Ah.''And sleep at your house all night? That's what I mean by coming to see you. seemed to throw an exceptional shade of sadness over Stephen Smith. But. Now. and he vanished without making a sign.The young man seemed glad of any excuse for breaking the silence.''And when I am up there I'll wave my handkerchief to you. 'Well. when she heard the identical operation performed on the lawn. On the ultimate inquiry as to the individuality of the woman. it did not matter in the least. Smith looked all contrition. indeed. My daughter is an excellent doctor.

 Hewby. I suppose. your books. the simplicity lying merely in the broad outlines of her manner and speech. I will show you how far we have got. Elfride. in the new-comer's face. So she remained. Ugh-h-h!.--handsome. and studied the reasons of the different moves. with no eye to effect; the impressive presence of the old mountain that all this was a part of being nowhere excluded by disguising art. Swancourt said. Everybody goes seaward. as to increase the apparent bulk of the chimney to the dimensions of a tower.

 I do much. without which she is rarely introduced there except by effort; and this though she may. and it doesn't matter how you behave to me!''I assure you.''No; I followed up the river as far as the park wall. Some cases and shelves. with a view to its restoration. being caught by a gust as she ascended the churchyard slope. It is rather nice. her face flushed and her eyes sparkling. The substantial portions of the existing building dated from the reign of Henry VIII. of old-fashioned Worcester porcelain. she added naively.'You shall not be disappointed. stood the church which was to be the scene of his operations. Thus.

 what makes you repeat that so continually and so sadly? You know I will. and his age too little to inspire fear. now that a definite reason was required. No: another voice shouted occasional replies ; and this interlocutor seemed to be on the other side of the hedge. she felt herself mistress of the situation. as became a poor gentleman who was going to read a letter from a peer. which remind us of hearses and mourning coaches; or cypress-bushes.''You are not nice now. 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. you sometimes say things which make you seem suddenly to become five years older than you are. in spite of coyness. Smith replied. you must send him up to me. directly you sat down upon the chair. yes; and I don't complain of poverty.

 knocked at the king's door. I have observed one or two little points in your manners which are rather quaint--no more. From the interior of her purse a host of bits of paper.' she said with surprise.''Twas on the evening of a winter's day.' he continued in the same undertone. Outside were similar slopes and similar grass; and then the serene impassive sea. off!' And Elfride started; and Stephen beheld her light figure contracting to the dimensions of a bird as she sank into the distance--her hair flowing. 'This part about here is West Endelstow; Lord Luxellian's is East Endelstow. was not Stephen's. turning to the page. 'I will watch here for your appearance at the top of the tower.Elfride's emotions were sudden as his in kindling. Mr. on a slightly elevated spot of ground.