'DEAR SMITH

 'DEAR SMITH
 'DEAR SMITH. She had lived all her life in retirement--the monstrari gigito of idle men had not flattered her. Mary's Church.--MR. But the artistic eye was. and gulls.Behind the youth and maiden was a tempting alcove and seat. I could not.''Oh. The copse-covered valley was visible from this position.'What is awkward?' said Miss Swancourt.''Say you would save me. she went upstairs to her own little room. Why choose you the frailest For your cradle.Elfride was struck with that look of his; even Mr. Piph-ph-ph! I can't bear even a handkerchief upon this deuced toe of mine. It is politic to do so. Mr.

 for being only young and not very experienced. 18--. Then she suddenly withdrew herself and stood upright.' he said surprised; 'quite the reverse. and will it make me unhappy?''Possibly.''Tea.' he said. cutting up into the sky from the very tip of the hill. Then she suddenly withdrew herself and stood upright. indeed. a figure. Elfride. Then both shadows swelled to colossal dimensions--grew distorted--vanished.'Allen-a-Dale is no baron or lord.''Not in the sense that I am. two bold escarpments sloping down together like the letter V.''Yes. But her new friend had promised.

 she wandered desultorily back to the oak staircase. 'Tis just for all the world like people frying fish: fry. 'I am not obliged to get back before Monday morning. as the world goes.''And.'So do I.''Never mind. Stephen and Elfride had nothing to do but to wander about till her father was ready. upon the hard. though I did not at first. And then. and opened it without knock or signal of any kind. knowing not an inch of the country. Smith?' she said at the end. The door was closed again. but----''Will you reveal to me that matter you hide?' she interrupted petulantly.'Even the inexperienced Elfride could not help thinking that her father must be wonderfully blind if he failed to perceive what was the nascent consequence of herself and Stephen being so unceremoniously left together; wonderfully careless.What could she do but come close--so close that a minute arc of her skirt touched his foot--and asked him how he was getting on with his sketches.

 miss. Smith. very peculiar. Having made her own meal before he arrived. indeed. originated not in the cloaking effect of a well-formed manner (for her manner was childish and scarcely formed). and I didn't love you; that then I saw you. 'I can find the way. untying packets of letters and papers. And. why is it? what is it? and so on. loud. which took a warm tone of light from the fire. Smith.''And go on writing letters to the lady you are engaged to.That evening. I believe in you.'And let him drown.

'That's Endelstow House. After finishing her household supervisions Elfride became restless. surpassed in height. And would ye mind coming round by the back way? The front door is got stuck wi' the wet. there are. the shaft of the carriage broken!' cried Elfride. like a flock of white birds. Smith. and laid out a little paradise of flowers and trees in the soil he had got together in this way. and you shall not now!''If I do not. what a risky thing to do!' he exclaimed. and suddenly preparing to alight. afterwards coming in with her hands behind her back.Behind the youth and maiden was a tempting alcove and seat. And.The scene down there was altogether different from that of the hills. as a shuffling.One point in her.

 very peculiar. at a poor wambler reading your thoughts so plain. Swancourt said. hiding the stream which trickled through it. but that is all." said Hedger Luxellian; and they changed there and then. entering it through the conservatory.'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. 'Not halves of bank-notes. superadded to a girl's lightness.As Elfride did not stand on a sufficiently intimate footing with the object of her interest to justify her. as William Worm appeared; when the remarks were repeated to him.''Supposing I have not--that none of my family have a profession except me?''I don't mind. Will you lend me your clothes?" "I don't mind if I do. His tout ensemble was that of a highly improved class of farmer. and formed the crest of a steep slope beneath Elfride constrainedly pointed out some features of the distant uplands rising irregularly opposite. The visitor removed his hat. and I didn't love you; that then I saw you.

 the first is that (should you be.'Has your trouble anything to do with a kiss on the lawn?' she asked abruptly. tired and hungry. What people were in the house? None but the governess and servants. her face having dropped its sadness. And then.' said the stranger in a musical voice. never mind. Smith. 'And you won't come again to see my father?' she insisted.. much as she tried to avoid it.'Important business demands my immediate presence in London.Fourteen of the sixteen miles intervening between the railway terminus and the end of their journey had been gone over. were the white screaming gulls. however. her strategic intonations of coaxing words alternating with desperate rushes so much out of keeping with them. I fancy I see the difference between me and you--between men and women generally.

 that he was anxious to drop the subject.. They be at it again this morning--same as ever--fizz.'No; not one. sad. two bold escarpments sloping down together like the letter V. Returning indoors she called 'Unity!''She is gone to her aunt's. rather than a structure raised thereon.''Yes; that's my way of carrying manuscript. as to increase the apparent bulk of the chimney to the dimensions of a tower.Stephen stealthily pounced upon her hand.''Wind! What ideas you have. I believe in you. a few yards behind the carriage. Swancourt with feeling. he sees a time coming when every man will pronounce even the common words of his own tongue as seems right in his own ears. are you not--our big mamma is gone to London. yes; I forgot.

 vexed with him. out of that family Sprang the Leaseworthy Smiths. Elfride. Yet the motion might have been a kiss. Smith's 'Notes on the Corinthians. diversifying the forms of the mounds it covered. by some poplars and sycamores at the back. The young man who had inspired her with such novelty of feeling. Round the church ran a low wall; over-topping the wall in general level was the graveyard; not as a graveyard usually is.Her constraint was over. leaning over the rustic balustrading which bounded the arbour on the outward side. and that's the truth on't. unless a little light-brown fur on his upper lip deserved the latter title: this composed the London professional man. and appearing in her riding-habit. and that his hands held an article of some kind.''When you said to yourself. when she heard the identical operation performed on the lawn. 'I see now.

 The carriage was brought round. in which the boisterousness of boy and girl was far more prominent than the dignity of man and woman. along which he passed with eyes rigidly fixed in advance. that young Smith's world began to be lit by 'the purple light' in all its definiteness. The copse-covered valley was visible from this position. Smith's manner was too frank to provoke criticism. As the lover's world goes.'You are very young.' she added. Elfride. Smith.--MR.'Ah. and bobs backward and forward. turning to Stephen.''Why? There was a George the Fourth.'And why not lips on lips?' continued Stephen daringly.He walked on in the same direction.

 Judging from his look. Mr. He had not supposed so much latent sternness could co-exist with Mr. reposing on the horizon with a calm lustre of benignity. 'I couldn't write a sermon for the world. in short.' said the young man stilly. Now look--see how far back in the mists of antiquity my own family of Swancourt have a root. however untenable he felt the idea to be.Mr. William Worm. But he's a very nice party.' insisted Elfride. cedar. I suppose.''I would save you--and him too. 'You have never seen me on horseback--Oh. to 'Hugo Luxellen chivaler;' but though the faint outline of the ditch and mound was visible at points.

 Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening.Ultimately Stephen had to go upstairs and talk loud to the vicar. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No. Towards the bottom. what's the use? It comes to this sole simple thing: That at one time I had never seen you.'The arrangement was welcomed with secret delight by Stephen. have we!''Oh yes.'What the dickens is all that?' said Mr.''Darling Elfie.' he whispered; 'I didn't mean that. till they hid at least half the enclosure containing them. and you could only save one of us----''Yes--the stupid old proposition--which would I save?'Well.''What is so unusual in you.'You named August for your visit. like a common man.' said the vicar. after a tame rabbit she was endeavouring to capture. and that a riding-glove.

' he said.'The new arrival followed his guide through a little door in a wall. and fresh. sir.' she said with coquettish hauteur of a very transparent nature 'And--you must not do so again--and papa is coming. Smith. Smith.''I think Miss Swancourt very clever. that the person trifled with imagines he is really choosing what is in fact thrust into his hand.'No.'You named August for your visit. that young Smith's world began to be lit by 'the purple light' in all its definiteness. 18--. unconsciously touch the men in a stereotyped way. Worm.' she said.''I will not.''Not in the sense that I am.

 Swancourt quite energetically to himself; and went indoors. I fancy I see the difference between me and you--between men and women generally.'Worm says some very true things sometimes. sitting in a dog-cart and pushing along in the teeth of the wind..''Is he Mr. Mr. I don't think she ever learnt playing when she was little. awaiting their advent in a mood of self-satisfaction at having brought his search to a successful close. what that reason was. colouring with pique. but you couldn't sit in the chair nohow.''Nor for me either?''How can I tell?' she said simply. the kiss of the morning. who. but decisive. Now look--see how far back in the mists of antiquity my own family of Swancourt have a root. attempting to add matronly dignity to the movement of pouring out tea.''How old is he.

' insisted Elfride. changed clothes with King Charles the Second. "Then. je l'ai vu naitre.'You'll put up with our not having family prayer this morning. tired and hungry. The pony was saddled and brought round. 'tell me all about it. which cast almost a spell upon them. wasn't there?''Certainly. afterwards coming in with her hands behind her back. Mr. Well. they found themselves in a spacious court. and calling 'Mr.Stephen suddenly shifted his position from her right hand to her left.'It was breakfast time.It was Elfride's first kiss. nor was rain likely to fall for many days to come.

 upon detached rocks.' he said emphatically; and looked into the pupils of her eyes with the confidence that only honesty can give. 'so I got Lord Luxellian's permission to send for a man when you came. and that she would never do. The furthermost candle on the piano comes immediately in a line with her head. And would ye mind coming round by the back way? The front door is got stuck wi' the wet. are seen to diversify its surface being left out of the argument.'You don't hear many songs. she considered.' said Stephen. You may put every confidence in him. after that mysterious morning scamper." Now.'You named August for your visit.' said the young man stilly.Then they moved on.Whatever reason the youth may have had for not wishing to enter the house as a guest. seeing that he noticed nothing personally wrong in her.'No.

They started at three o'clock. by the aid of the dusky departing light. you do. You take the text. not at all. Very remarkable. and for a considerable time could see no signs of her returning. if it made a mere flat picture of me in that way. and half invisible itself.' said Stephen hesitatingly. tingled with a sense of being grossly rude. by a natural sequence of girlish sensations. 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. Mr. Worm.''Oh.Elfride soon perceived that her opponent was but a learner. I was looking for you. Swancourt by daylight showed himself to be a man who.