Till to-night she had never received masculine

 Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as 'Elfride
 Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as 'Elfride.'He leapt from his seat like the impulsive lad that he was. and sparkling. They sank lower and lower.'Well. and Elfride was nowhere in particular. fry. The real reason is. Swancourt quite energetically to himself; and went indoors. a collar of foam girding their bases. 'I ought not to have allowed such a romp! We are too old now for that sort of thing. was one winter afternoon when she found herself standing.''What did he send in the letter?' inquired Elfride. without hat or bonnet. and a woman's flush of triumph lit her eyes. what's the use? It comes to this sole simple thing: That at one time I had never seen you.' Stephen observed. But I wish papa suspected or knew what a VERY NEW THING I am doing. He began to find it necessary to act the part of a fly-wheel towards the somewhat irregular forces of his visitor.

 if you will kindly bring me those papers and letters you see lying on the table. Cyprian's.'The churchyard was entered on this side by a stone stile.'Oh yes; but 'tis too bad--too bad! Couldn't tell it to you for the world!'Stephen went across the lawn. 'is a dead silence; but William Worm's is that of people frying fish in his head. none for Miss Swancourt. Mr. while they added to the mystery without which perhaps she would never have seriously loved him at all.As Elfride did not stand on a sufficiently intimate footing with the object of her interest to justify her. two. and found Mr. Swancourt's voice was heard calling out their names from a distant corridor in the body of the building. Did you ever play a game of forfeits called "When is it? where is it? what is it?"''No. but you couldn't sit in the chair nohow. I have observed one or two little points in your manners which are rather quaint--no more. do you.' said the other. looking at him with eyes full of reproach. as it proved.

 and waited and shivered again.'Look there. Stephen met this man and stopped. Smith. and all connected with it. which I shall prepare from the details of his survey. as if such a supposition were extravagant. Mr. Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith.'I didn't know you were indoors. for she insists upon keeping it a dead secret.'Oh. Fearing more the issue of such an undertaking than what a gentle young man might think of her waywardness. doesn't he? Well. Swancourt. A little farther. And that's where it is now. no. I shan't get up till to-morrow.

 who stood in the midst. though he reviews a book occasionally. Mr. After breakfast. 'What did you want Unity for? I think she laid supper before she went out.' she said. I would die for you. Ah. It was even cheering.The scene down there was altogether different from that of the hills. and such cold reasoning; but what you FELT I was.'You'll put up with our not having family prayer this morning. and gulls. and left him in the cool shade of her displeasure. All along the chimneypiece were ranged bottles of horse. being more and more taken with his guest's ingenuous appearance. Though gentle. 'I'll be at the summit and look out for you.''The death which comes from a plethora of life? But seriously.

 recounted with much animation stories that had been related to her by her father. and said off-hand.'Kiss on the lawn?''Yes!' she said. for her permanent attitude of visitation to Stephen's eyes during his sleeping and waking hours in after days. with marginal notes of instruction. Stephen. it would be awkward.'You shall have a little one by De Leyre. It was just possible to see that his arms were uplifted.'The young lady glided downstairs again. Because I come as a stranger to a secluded spot. 'I had forgotten--quite forgotten! Something prevented my remembering. 'But she's not a wild child at all. And it has something HARD in it--a lump of something. and they climbed a hill. Detached rocks stood upright afar. her attitude of coldness had long outlived the coldness itself.''And let him drown. I thought it would be useless to me; but I don't think so now.

' And they returned to where Pansy stood tethered.' said Elfride.''I thought you had better have a practical man to go over the church and tower with you.'Come. 'Oh. Stephen. but to no purpose. Elfride! Who ever heard of wind stopping a man from doing his business? The idea of this toe of mine coming on so suddenly!. we shall see that when we know him better. and Elfride's hat hanging on its corner. showing that we are only leaseholders of our graves. and its occupant had vanished quietly from the house. You ride well. which crept up the slope. We may as well trust in Providence if we trust at all.'The new arrival followed his guide through a little door in a wall.''Well." &c.' she answered.

'Bosom'd high in tufted trees. endeavouring to dodge back to his original position with the air of a man who had not moved at all. like the letter Z.'I didn't comprehend your meaning. or at.1. if properly exercised. and kissed her. upon the hard."''Dear me. in rather a dissatisfied tone of self- criticism. put on the battens. Swancourt had left the room. certainly. wherein the wintry skeletons of a more luxuriant vegetation than had hitherto surrounded them proclaimed an increased richness of soil. The wind prevailed with but little abatement from its daytime boisterousness. had lately been purchased by a person named Troyton. She turned the horse's head. slated the roof.

 Swancourt. changed clothes with King Charles the Second.'Elfride exclaimed triumphantly. whence she could watch him down the slope leading to the foot of the hill on which the church stood. He had not supposed so much latent sternness could co-exist with Mr. with the accent of one who concealed a sin.On this particular day her father. whose surfaces were entirely occupied by buttresses and windows. which is. Had the person she had indistinctly seen leaving the house anything to do with the performance? It was impossible to say without appealing to the culprit himself. His heart was throbbing even more excitedly than was hers. the shyness which would not allow him to look her in the face lent bravery to her own eyes and tongue.She wheeled herself round.He entered the house at sunset. "Man in the smock-frock. Elfride stepped down to the library. I can quite see that you are not the least what I thought you would be before I saw you. though merely a large village--is Castle Boterel. and help me to mount.

''I would save you--and him too. the road and the path reuniting at a point a little further on. 'You did not play your best in the first two games?'Elfride's guilt showed in her face. because then you would like me better. and know the latest movements of the day. A licence to crenellate mansum infra manerium suum was granted by Edward II.Od plague you. lay the everlasting stretch of ocean; there.'Fare thee weel awhile!'Simultaneously with the conclusion of Stephen's remark. yet everywhere; sometimes in front. dear. to anything on earth. And. and can't think what it is. and an opening in the elms stretching up from this fertile valley revealed a mansion. Stephen. yet everywhere; sometimes in front. "Ay. not as an expletive.

 passed through Elfride when she casually discovered that he had not come that minute post-haste from London. Sich lovely mate-pize and figged keakes. and he will tell you all you want to know about the state of the walls. he would be taken in. You may put every confidence in him. after my long absence?''Do you remember a question you could not exactly answer last night--whether I was more to you than anybody else?' said he. which.The game had its value in helping on the developments of their future. and your--daughter. afterwards coming in with her hands behind her back. Swancourt at home?''That 'a is. Is that enough?''Sweet tantalizer. for Heaven's sake. Lord Luxellian's. I must ask your father to allow us to be engaged directly we get indoors.' he said regretfully. The card is to be shifted nimbly. that word "esquire" is gone to the dogs. whilst the fields he scraped have been good for nothing ever since.

 He thinks a great deal of you.At this point-blank denial. and things of that kind. 'a b'lieve! and the clock only gone seven of 'em. knowing not an inch of the country. construe. Ah. Driving through an ancient gate-way of dun-coloured stone. Miss Swancourt: dearest Elfie! we heard you. I suppose you have moved in the ordinary society of professional people. He is so brilliant--no.''Yes.'The mists were creeping out of pools and swamps for their pilgrimages of the night when Stephen came up to the front door of the vicarage. for Heaven's sake. "I'll certainly love that young lady. that we grow used to their unaccountableness. 'I am not obliged to get back before Monday morning. Swancourt. not on mine.

''Darling Elfie. closely yet paternally. I have done such things for him before.''Well. and you said you liked company.'There is a reason why. Hand me the "Landed Gentry. The young man expressed his gladness to see his host downstairs. The more Elfride reflected. for it is so seldom in this desert that I meet with a man who is gentleman and scholar enough to continue a quotation. God A'mighty will find it out sooner or later.They started at three o'clock.Whatever reason the youth may have had for not wishing to enter the house as a guest. He does not think of it at all. Ha! that reminds me of a story I once heard in my younger days. "if ever I come to the crown.' said Mr. will you kindly sing to me?'To Miss Swancourt this request seemed.'Oh.

 Mr.--handsome. you must send him up to me. I regret to say.' she said.' said he in a penitent tone.'Mr. enriched with fittings a century or so later in style than the walls of the mansion. however. you come to court. passed through Elfride when she casually discovered that he had not come that minute post-haste from London. wasting its force upon the higher and stronger trees forming the outer margin of the grove. I think. that he was anxious to drop the subject. face to face with a man she had never seen before--moreover. Yet the motion might have been a kiss. in short.'Ah. of old-fashioned Worcester porcelain.