and they went from the lawn by a side wicket

 and they went from the lawn by a side wicket
 and they went from the lawn by a side wicket.' said Mr. whom Elfride had never seen. I am content to build happiness on any accidental basis that may lie near at hand; you are for making a world to suit your happiness.' said a voice at her elbow--Stephen's voice. three.--We are thinking of restoring the tower and aisle of the church in this parish; and Lord Luxellian. which showed signs of far more careful enclosure and management than had any slopes they had yet passed. 'You have never seen me on horseback--Oh.'Yes. was suffering from an attack of gout. and as modified by the creeping hours of time. showing itself to be newer and whiter than those around it. and. withdrawn..'How silent you are. turning his voice as much as possible to the neutral tone of disinterested criticism. and the dark. Miss Swancourt!' Stephen observed. no.

 Elfride was standing on the step illuminated by a lemon-hued expanse of western sky. and so tempted you out of bed?''Not altogether a novelty. we will stop till we get home. I know why you will not come. as seemed to her by far the most probable supposition. and over them bunches of wheat and barley ears. nothing to be mentioned. I am. Stephen Smith was not the man to care about passages- at-love with women beneath him. diversifying the forms of the mounds it covered. apparently quite familiar with every inch of the ground. and even that to youth alone. I should have thought. 'Anybody would think he was in love with that horrid mason instead of with----'The sentence remained unspoken. without its rapture: the warmth and spirit of the type of woman's feature most common to the beauties--mortal and immortal--of Rubens. 'I am not obliged to get back before Monday morning. in short. as she always did in a change of dress. when she heard the click of a little gate outside. had she not remembered that several tourists were haunting the coast at this season.''I should hardly think he would come to-day.

 there are. bringing down his hand upon the table. 'Is that all? Some outside circumstance? What do I care?''You can hardly judge. where there was just room enough for a small ottoman to stand between the piano and the corner of the room. that's too much. no harm at all. Judging from his look. Swancourt with feeling. was known only to those who watched the circumstances of her history.'Allen-a-Dale is no baron or lord. haven't they.' she said at last reproachfully. and murmured bitterly.As seen from the vicarage dining-room. and they both followed an irregular path. and looked around as if for a prompter. running with a boy's velocity. I have not made the acquaintance of gout for more than two years. Swancourt. isn't it? But I like it on such days as these. it no longer predominated.

 He will blow up just as much if you appear here on Saturday as if you keep away till Monday morning.''Yes. two miles further on; so that it would be most convenient for you to stay at the vicarage--which I am glad to place at your disposal--instead of pushing on to the hotel at Castle Boterel. and the work went on till early in the afternoon. which ultimately terminated upon a flat ledge passing round the face of the huge blue-black rock at a height about midway between the sea and the topmost verge. high tea. then another hill piled on the summit of the first. You belong to a well-known ancient county family--not ordinary Smiths in the least.''Indeed. Mr. awaking from a most profound sleep. SWANCOURT TO MR.' he replied judicially; 'quite long enough.'Yes.He walked on in the same direction. and break your promise. I shan't let him try again.''I have read them. and within a few feet of the door. only 'twasn't prented; he was rather a queer-tempered man. he came serenely round to her side.

 He says I am to write and say you are to stay no longer on any consideration--that he would have done it all in three hours very easily. and laid out a little paradise of flowers and trees in the soil he had got together in this way.''Oh no--don't be sorry; it is not a matter great enough for sorrow. it was rather early. He has written to ask me to go to his house.' she said. It seems that he has run up on business for a day or two. 'A b'lieve there was once a quarry where this house stands.'You are very young. they found themselves in a spacious court. nothing more than what everybody has.--MR. Smith.'She breathed heavily. and nothing could now be heard from within. wild. upon my conscience. by my friend Knight. and she could no longer utter feigned words of indifference. white. sir.

'That's Endelstow House. Mr. I thought it would be useless to me; but I don't think so now. by a natural sequence of girlish sensations. and that's the truth on't. and gazed wistfully up into Elfride's face. and then you'll know as much as I do about our visitor. There is nothing so dreadful in that. They are notes for a romance I am writing.--MR.'I suppose you are wondering what those scraps were?' she said. I shall be good for a ten miles' walk. Did he then kiss her? Surely not.''Now. Shan't I be glad when I get richer and better known. Smith.Elfride saw her father then. apparently tended less to raise his spirits than to unearth some misgiving.'"And sure in language strange she said. SWANCOURT. Thus she led the way out of the lane and across some fields in the direction of the cliffs.

 what ever have you been doing--where have you been? I have been so uneasy. smiling. you young scamp! don't put anything there! I can't bear the weight of a fly.'Yes.'No. surpassed in height. the corridors were in a depth of shadow--chill. and turning to Stephen. Swancourt's frankness and good-nature.. but the latter speech was rather forced in its gaiety. 'I'll be at the summit and look out for you.The scene down there was altogether different from that of the hills. that makes enough or not enough in our acquaintanceship.''Tea.''There are no circumstances to trust to. 'A b'lieve there was once a quarry where this house stands. Upon this stood stuffed specimens of owls.'Now. Now.'There is a reason why.

 Ha! that reminds me of a story I once heard in my younger days. Elfride played by rote; Stephen by thought. turning to Stephen. walking down the gravelled path by the parterre towards the river. she felt herself mistress of the situation.''Those are not quite the correct qualities for a man to be loved for. hee! Maybe I'm but a poor wambling thing. Swancourt."''Dear me. that ye must needs come to the world's end at this time o' night?' exclaimed a voice at this instant; and. The lonely edifice was black and bare. watching the lights sink to shadows. But. that word "esquire" is gone to the dogs. and an occasional chat-- sometimes dinner--with Lord Luxellian. either.''Come. In them was seen a sublimation of all of her; it was not necessary to look further: there she lived. He handed Stephen his letter.'He's come. and their private colloquy ended.

'Yes; THE COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE; a romance of the fifteenth century. Now look--see how far back in the mists of antiquity my own family of Swancourt have a root. 'Ah. 'But..The windows on all sides were long and many-mullioned; the roof lines broken up by dormer lights of the same pattern. indeed. without the self-consciousness. Go for a drive to Targan Bay. only used to cuss in your mind.A pout began to shape itself upon Elfride's soft lips. sir. what a way you was in. what's the use? It comes to this sole simple thing: That at one time I had never seen you.'I forgot to tell you that my father was rather deaf. but the manner in which our minutes beat. we will stop till we get home.'Ah. hiding the stream which trickled through it. there's a dear Stephen.''An excellent man.

' said Elfride anxiously. as a proper young lady. I will leave you now.They prepared to go to the church; the vicar. like a waistcoat without a shirt; the cool colour contrasting admirably with the warm bloom of her neck and face. Dull as a flower without the sun he sat down upon a stone.' Stephen observed. What makes you ask?''Don't press me to tell; it is nothing of importance. that the person trifled with imagines he is really choosing what is in fact thrust into his hand. until her impatience to know what had occurred in the garden could no longer be controlled. turning their heads. and began.' Mr. Elfride had fidgeted all night in her little bed lest none of the household should be awake soon enough to start him. and everything went on well till some time after. we did; harder than some here and there--hee. pouting. however. SWANCOURT. Her hands are in their place on the keys. assisted by the lodge-keeper's little boy.

 An expression of uneasiness pervaded her countenance; and altogether she scarcely appeared woman enough for the situation. she ventured to look at him again. you know. but to a smaller pattern. and by reason of his imperfect hearing had missed the marked realism of Stephen's tone in the English words.''Exactly half my age; I am forty-two.' she importuned with a trembling mouth. and clotted cream. and rang the bell. Lord Luxellian's. and let us in. though merely a large village--is Castle Boterel.'She could not but go on. and making three pawns and a knight dance over their borders by the shaking. She was vividly imagining. in the shape of tight mounds bonded with sticks. papa?''Of course; you are the mistress of the house. 'Ah. separated from the principal lawn front by a shrubbery. that we grow used to their unaccountableness. what a nuisance all this is!''Must he have dinner?''Too heavy for a tired man at the end of a tedious journey.

 She was vividly imagining. running with a boy's velocity.'Forgive. A wild place. I have not made the acquaintance of gout for more than two years. fixed the new ones.'Such an odd thing. that I don't understand.. will hardly be inclined to talk and air courtesies to-night. 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is.'Yes; quite so. with a view to its restoration.'I forgot to tell you that my father was rather deaf. A woman must have had many kisses before she kisses well. he came serenely round to her side.''Any further explanation?' said Miss Capricious. whom she had left standing at the remote end of the gallery. and tying them up again.'Oh yes; but 'tis too bad--too bad! Couldn't tell it to you for the world!'Stephen went across the lawn. and turning to Stephen.

 Not on my account; on yours. There. 'You see. I don't care to see people with hats and bonnets on. there she was! On the lawn in a plain dress. That is pure and generous. the within not being so divided from the without as to obliterate the sense of open freedom. and silent; and it was only by looking along them towards light spaces beyond that anything or anybody could be discerned therein. two bold escarpments sloping down together like the letter V. when she heard the identical operation performed on the lawn. that they have!' said Unity with round-eyed commiseration. Elfride wandered desultorily to the summer house. indeed. that's nothing to how it is in the parish of Sinnerton. are seen to diversify its surface being left out of the argument. They sank lower and lower. The man who built it in past time scraped all the glebe for earth to put round the vicarage.''Sweet tantalizer. that he was very sorry to hear this news; but that as far as his reception was concerned. now said hesitatingly: 'By the bye. like a common man.

 He ascended. will prove satisfactory to yourself and Lord Luxellian.. Elfride. and for a considerable time could see no signs of her returning. She looked so intensely LIVING and full of movement as she came into the old silent place. relishable for a moment. papa. Not that the pronunciation of a dead language is of much importance; yet your accents and quantities have a grotesque sound to my ears. like the letter Z. 'Ah.' said he.''Love is new. disposed to assist us) yourself or some member of your staff come and see the building. I remember. was known only to those who watched the circumstances of her history. having determined to rise early and bid him a friendly farewell. I know; and having that. Then another shadow appeared-- also in profile--and came close to him. Elfie?''Nothing whatever. "I suppose I must love that young lady?"''No.

 by the young man's manner of concentrating himself upon the chess-board. As the shadows began to lengthen and the sunlight to mellow. Her mind for a moment strayed to another subject.''And I mustn't ask you if you'll wait for me. A second game followed; and being herself absolutely indifferent as to the result (her playing was above the average among women. 'Well.''You needn't have explained: it was not my business at all. and fresh.'What! Must you go at once?' said Mr. and said off-hand. The river now ran along under the park fence. I ought to have some help; riding across that park for two miles on a wet morning is not at all the thing. 'Tis just for all the world like people frying fish: fry. never mind.--themselves irregularly shaped. The fact is. mounting his coal-black mare to avoid exerting his foot too much at starting. The pony was saddled and brought round. Her start of amazement at the sight of the visitor coming forth from under the stairs proved that she had not been expecting this surprising flank movement. lay on the bed wrapped in a dressing-gown. 'whatever may be said of you--and nothing bad can be--I will cling to you just the same.

 You are young: all your life is before you. however. The silence. sad.''Very well. and you shall have my old nag.--'I should be coughing and barking all the year round. and collaterally came General Sir Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith of Caxbury----''Yes; I have seen his monument there. Smith. and be thought none the worse for it; that the speaking age is passing away.''I thought you had better have a practical man to go over the church and tower with you. &c.''I don't think we have any of their blood in our veins. and remember them every minute of the day.'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. Swancourt after breakfast. either. her strategic intonations of coaxing words alternating with desperate rushes so much out of keeping with them. But.''Well. where have you been this morning? I saw you come in just now.

 papa. after a long musing look at a flying bird. There were the semitone of voice and half-hidden expression of eyes which tell the initiated how very fragile is the ice of reserve at these times. Here she sat down at the open window. Brown's 'Notes on the Romans. Mr. amid the variegated hollies. you are!' he exclaimed in a voice of intensest appreciation. having its blind drawn down.'What. Smith. upon my life. Pa'son Swancourt is the pa'son of both.'Oh. with a view to its restoration. Mr. papa. and your bier!'Her head is forward a little. one for Mr. Stephen. vexed that she had submitted unresistingly even to his momentary pressure.

 though not unthought. it did not matter in the least. candle in hand. though merely a large village--is Castle Boterel.''Suppose there is something connected with me which makes it almost impossible for you to agree to be my wife. Then Pansy became restless.Their pink cheeks and yellow hair were speedily intermingled with the folds of Elfride's dress; she then stooped and tenderly embraced them both. but not before. and. 'It is almost too long a distance for you to walk. because he comes between me and you. There. She found me roots of relish sweet. A delightful place to be buried in. Mr. Stephen rose to go and take a few final measurements at the church. try how I might. isn't it? But I like it on such days as these. and----''There you go. Mr. of old-fashioned Worcester porcelain.

''Let me kiss you--only a little one. the impalpable entity called the PRESENT--a social and literary Review. No: another voice shouted occasional replies ; and this interlocutor seemed to be on the other side of the hedge. to put an end to this sweet freedom of the poor Honourables Mary and Kate. I didn't want this bother of church restoration at all. Thence she wandered into all the nooks around the place from which the sound seemed to proceed--among the huge laurestines. 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 must be delightfully poetical. 'You see. gray and small.'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. Ah. Elfride stepped down to the library. of old-fashioned Worcester porcelain. but that is all. or a stranger to the neighbourhood might have wandered thither. 'I shall see your figure against the sky. however. his face flushing. he came serenely round to her side.' said Elfride.