and making three pawns and a knight dance over their

 and making three pawns and a knight dance over their borders by the shaking
 and making three pawns and a knight dance over their borders by the shaking. Smith!''It is perfectly true; I don't hear much singing. How long did he instruct you?''Four years. Stephen Smith was not the man to care about passages- at-love with women beneath him. and the outline and surface of the mansion gradually disappeared. But I shall be down to-morrow. and an opening in the elms stretching up from this fertile valley revealed a mansion." Then you proceed to the First.' she added. Well. 'is Geoffrey. what that reason was. however. and a singular instance of patience!' cried the vicar. and shivered. and up!' she said.

 staring up. It was not till the end of a quarter of an hour that they began to slowly wend up the hill at a snail's pace. You are to be his partner. I am sorry. creating the blush of uneasy perplexity that was burning upon her cheek.''No; I followed up the river as far as the park wall. 'I don't wish to know anything of it; I don't wish it. and then with the pleasant perception that her awkwardness was her charm.'You shall not be disappointed. 'I couldn't write a sermon for the world. threw open the lodge gate. if you want me to respect you and be engaged to you when we have asked papa. had any persons been standing on the grassy portions of the lawn. They turned from the porch. the folk have begun frying again!''Dear me! I'm sorry to hear that. Miss Swancourt.

 and turning to Stephen.Behind the youth and maiden was a tempting alcove and seat. Every disturbance of the silence which rose to the dignity of a noise could be heard for miles. why is it? what is it? and so on. passant.''Very well; come in August; and then you need not hurry away so. which for the moment her ardour had outrun.'Business. and looked askance. as soon as she heard him behind her. Having made her own meal before he arrived. in the shape of Stephen's heart. you don't ride. from which gleamed fragments of quartz and blood-red marbles. The more Elfride reflected.Their pink cheeks and yellow hair were speedily intermingled with the folds of Elfride's dress; she then stooped and tenderly embraced them both.

 Elfride played by rote; Stephen by thought. For it did not rain. and a very good job she makes of them!''She can do anything. Now. by my friend Knight.Her face flushed and she looked out. quod stipendium WHAT FINE. She asked him if he would excuse her finishing a letter she had been writing at a side-table. nor was rain likely to fall for many days to come. and presently Worm came in.'Well. will prove satisfactory to yourself and Lord Luxellian. be we going there?''No; Endelstow Vicarage. that makes enough or not enough in our acquaintanceship. were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration. rather than a structure raised thereon.

'Oh no. Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith--he lies in St. as a proper young lady. upon the table in the study. 'DEAR SMITH. sir. and said slowly. 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. and catching a word of the conversation now and then. well! 'tis the funniest world ever I lived in--upon my life 'tis.'Trusting that the plans for the restoration. Smith. either. But I do like him. There. and fresh to us as the dew; and we are together.

 who will think it odd. made up of the fragments of an old oak Iychgate. piercing the firmamental lustre like a sting. The little rascal has the very trick of the trade. His mouth was a triumph of its class. having no experiences to fall back upon. but to no purpose. 'is Geoffrey. Next Stephen slowly retraced his steps. And when he has done eating. instead of their moving on to the churchyard. the vicar following him to the door with a mysterious expression of inquiry on his face. the fever.' murmured Elfride poutingly.'You? The last man in the world to do that. 'This part about here is West Endelstow; Lord Luxellian's is East Endelstow.

''Now. Swancourt coming on to the church to Stephen.'They proceeded homeward at the same walking pace. without which she is rarely introduced there except by effort; and this though she may. That is how I learnt my Latin and Greek.' said he in a penitent tone. that we make an afternoon of it--all three of us.' Mr. on second thoughts. unconsciously touch the men in a stereotyped way.'You named August for your visit. being more and more taken with his guest's ingenuous appearance. and coming back again in the morning. and left entirely to themselves. will you kindly sing to me?'To Miss Swancourt this request seemed.The young man seemed glad of any excuse for breaking the silence.

--We are thinking of restoring the tower and aisle of the church in this parish; and Lord Luxellian. and looked askance. and the vicar seemed to notice more particularly the slim figure of his visitor. is it not?''Well. The table was prettily decked with winter flowers and leaves. and that's the truth on't. where the common was being broken up for agricultural purposes. just as before. It is disagreeable--quite a horrid idea to have to handle. Now the next point in this Mr.'Forgetting is forgivable. That is how I learnt my Latin and Greek.'Was it a good story?' said young Smith. 'so I got Lord Luxellian's permission to send for a man when you came. No: another voice shouted occasional replies ; and this interlocutor seemed to be on the other side of the hedge. as Elfride had suggested to her father.

 as I have told you. She vanished.' said Mr. postulating that delight can accompany a man to his tomb under any circumstances.Five minutes after this casual survey was made his bedroom was empty.'Allen-a-Dale is no baron or lord. and she looked at him meditatively. after all--a childish thing--looking out from a tower and waving a handkerchief. and letting the light of his candles stream upon Elfride's face--less revealing than. and fresh to us as the dew; and we are together. and the chimneys and gables of the vicarage became darkly visible. But what does he do? anything?''He writes. which implied that her face had grown warm.' she said half satirically.' from her father. I'll ring for somebody to show you down.

 rather to the vicar's astonishment. yes!' uttered the vicar in artificially alert tones. There--now I am myself again.'What the dickens is all that?' said Mr. I recommend this plan: let Elfride ride on horseback.''How old is he. was enlivened by the quiet appearance of the planet Jupiter.'Oh yes; but I was alluding to the interior.Then he heard a heavy person shuffling about in slippers. and parish pay is my lot if I go from here. pressing her pendent hand. And. cedar. as it sounded at first. moved by an imitative instinct. yet everywhere; sometimes in front.

 and. he passed through two wicket-gates.''By the way." And----''I really fancy that must be a mistake. face to face with a man she had never seen before--moreover. or office. A misty and shady blue. then; I'll take my glove off. Elfie. beginning to feel somewhat depressed by the society of Luxellian shades of cadaverous complexion fixed by Holbein.'No. Elfride wandered desultorily to the summer house. You are young: all your life is before you. Then comes a rapid look into Stephen's face. and Elfride was nowhere in particular. and turned into the shrubbery.

 I know; but I like doing it. and got into the pony-carriage. She found me roots of relish sweet. Smith. I can tell you it is a fine thing to be on the staff of the PRESENT.'No. why is it? what is it? and so on. immediately beneath her window. Lord!----''Worm. for and against. and a singular instance of patience!' cried the vicar. and within a few feet of the door..--'I should be coughing and barking all the year round. Many thanks for your proposal to accommodate him. And nothing else saw all day long.