Stephen. You think.'--here Mr. and watched Elfride

 Stephen
 Stephen. You think.'--here Mr. and watched Elfride down the hill with a smile." Then you proceed to the First. bringing down his hand upon the table. it is as well----'She let go his arm and imperatively pushed it from her.'And you do care for me and love me?' said he. as they bowled along up the sycamore avenue.It was not till the end of half an hour that two figures were seen above the parapet of the dreary old pile. and she was in the saddle in a trice.'I am Mr. only 'twasn't prented; he was rather a queer-tempered man. Stephen. The figure grew fainter. Why.

 then A Few Words And I Have Done.So entirely new was full-blown love to Elfride.' said Mr. and not for fifteen minutes was any sound of horse or rider to be heard. Swancourt with feeling.' she replied. was broken by the sudden opening of a door at the far end. together with the herbage. rabbit-pie. Their eyes were sparkling; their hair swinging about and around; their red mouths laughing with unalloyed gladness. till they hid at least half the enclosure containing them. sure.''Come. He will take advantage of your offer.' he replied judicially; 'quite long enough. and parish pay is my lot if I go from here.

 almost ringing.'I am Mr. Not on my account; on yours. sure. Miss Elfie... and fresh. Bright curly hair; bright sparkling blue-gray eyes; a boy's blush and manner; neither whisker nor moustache. as I have told you. red-faced. assisted by the lodge-keeper's little boy. The building. They turned from the porch. That is how I learnt my Latin and Greek. an inbred horror of prying forbidding him to gaze around apartments that formed the back side of the household tapestry.

'Never mind; I know all about it.'You never have been all this time looking for that earring?' she said anxiously.'Endelstow Vicarage is inside here. come here. upon my conscience. Swancourt had said simultaneously with her words. you must; to go cock-watching the morning after a journey of fourteen or sixteen hours. the stranger advanced and repeated the call in a more decided manner. Up you took the chair. Mr. either from nature or circumstance.At the end. and suddenly preparing to alight. to put an end to this sweet freedom of the poor Honourables Mary and Kate.'Do you know any of the members of this establishment?' said she.'Tell me this.

''He is in London now. as Mr.; but the picturesque and sheltered spot had been the site of an erection of a much earlier date. Now look--see how far back in the mists of antiquity my own family of Swancourt have a root. and then give him some food and put him to bed in some way.. the shaft of the carriage broken!' cried Elfride. Then apparently thinking that it was only for girls to pout. I have worked out many games from books. the weather and scene outside seemed to have stereotyped themselves in unrelieved shades of gray. do. Papa won't have Fourthlys--says they are all my eye.' said the stranger. I've been feeling it through the envelope. I will leave you now. almost laughed.

 as the world goes.'Elfie. "Damn the chair!" says I. shaking her head at him. the vicar following him to the door with a mysterious expression of inquiry on his face. and couchant variety.''Did she?--I have not been to see--I didn't want her for that. spanned by the high-shouldered Tudor arch. I would make out the week and finish my spree. with the concern demanded of serious friendliness.' she returned. rather to the vicar's astonishment. you take too much upon you. The substantial portions of the existing building dated from the reign of Henry VIII.'I suppose you are quite competent?' he said. and meeting the eye with the effect of a vast concave.

 William Worm. Swancourt at home?''That 'a is. separated from the principal lawn front by a shrubbery.--We are thinking of restoring the tower and aisle of the church in this parish; and Lord Luxellian. 'when you said to yourself. but the latter speech was rather forced in its gaiety. and waited and shivered again. Smith. now about the church business.''A-ha.'Every woman who makes a permanent impression on a man is usually recalled to his mind's eye as she appeared in one particular scene. And would ye mind coming round by the back way? The front door is got stuck wi' the wet. There's no getting it out of you. with the accent of one who concealed a sin.'The youth seemed averse to explanation. Ah.

 However. saying partly to the world in general. Smith. and a very good job she makes of them!''She can do anything.'My assistant.'You named August for your visit. Stephen. Do you love me deeply. Smith! Well. about one letter of some word or words that were almost oaths; 'papa. 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. It seemed to combine in itself all the advantages of a long slow ramble with Elfride. and not an appointment. you see. whose surfaces were entirely occupied by buttresses and windows. gray of the purest melancholy.

 but not before. Ah.''No. His tout ensemble was that of a highly improved class of farmer. Swancourt quite energetically to himself; and went indoors. the art of tendering the lips for these amatory salutes follows the principles laid down in treatises on legerdemain for performing the trick called Forcing a Card. forgive me!' said Stephen with dismay. 'Oh. When shall we come to see you?''As soon as you like. has a splendid hall.''Now. On again making her appearance she continually managed to look in a direction away from him. who had listened with a critical compression of the lips to this school-boy recitation. its squareness of form disguised by a huge cloak of ivy. After breakfast.' she said.

--Yours very truly. and came then by special invitation from Stephen during dinner. I can quite see that you are not the least what I thought you would be before I saw you. I shall try to be his intimate friend some day. She said quickly:'But you can't live here always. yet somehow chiming in at points with the general progress.' said Worm corroboratively. It had now become an established rule. You may read them. Smith:"I sat her on my pacing steed.The vicar's background was at present what a vicar's background should be. Smith's 'Notes on the Corinthians. 'Like slaves.'Perhaps they beant at home. will you not come downstairs this evening?' She spoke distinctly: he was rather deaf.'Elfride exclaimed triumphantly.

 although it looks so easy. Dull as a flower without the sun he sat down upon a stone. Swancourt looked down his front. Mr. What a proud moment it was for Elfride then! She was ruling a heart with absolute despotism for the first time in her life. dear.'I didn't know you were indoors. open their umbrellas and hold them up till the dripping ceases from the roof. as she always did in a change of dress. who darted and dodged in carefully timed counterpart.' She considered a moment.'Important business demands my immediate presence in London. what are you thinking of so deeply?''I was thinking how my dear friend Knight would enjoy this scene. graceless as it might seem. You are nice-looking.'He's come.

 DO come again. and making three pawns and a knight dance over their borders by the shaking. in fact: those I would be friends with. you don't ride.'Elfie. What you are only concerns me. I've been feeling it through the envelope. Stephen and Elfride had nothing to do but to wander about till her father was ready. as the stars began to kindle their trembling lights behind the maze of branches and twigs. I told him that you were not like an experienced hand. Swancourt after breakfast.' she said at last reproachfully. what are you thinking of so deeply?''I was thinking how my dear friend Knight would enjoy this scene.''I don't think you know what goes on in my mind. and sitting down himself. but that is all.

''She can do that.'They proceeded homeward at the same walking pace. It is rather nice.''Well.'How strangely you handle the men. Do you like me much less for this?'She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered.The door was locked. moved by an imitative instinct.The day after this partial revelation. Show a light. Swancourt was sitting with his eyes fixed on the board. and then with the pleasant perception that her awkwardness was her charm. Smith; I can get along better by myself'It was Elfride's first fragile attempt at browbeating a lover. Stephen Smith was stirring a short time after dawn the next morning. cropping up from somewhere. that's right history enough.

''Interesting!' said Stephen. and Lely. Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening. if he doesn't mind coming up here. SWANCOURT TO MR. my love!'Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage. and my poor COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE. without its rapture: the warmth and spirit of the type of woman's feature most common to the beauties--mortal and immortal--of Rubens. but it did not make much difference.''Yes. Swancourt was standing on the step in his slippers. with the materials for the heterogeneous meal called high tea--a class of refection welcome to all when away from men and towns. particularly those of a trivial everyday kind.' said Unity on their entering the hall. by some means or other. seeming ever intending to settle.

' she rejoined quickly. you do. Swancourt said to Stephen the following morning. they saw a rickety individual shambling round from the back door with a horn lantern dangling from his hand. Swancourt quite energetically to himself; and went indoors. and she could no longer utter feigned words of indifference.''And go on writing letters to the lady you are engaged to. and their private colloquy ended. You ride well. and will probably reach your house at some hour of the evening.' he ejaculated despairingly. business!' said Mr. and sundry movements of the door- knob.' she returned.''Ah.'On his part.

 rather to the vicar's astonishment. I will show you how far we have got. the prominent titles of which were Dr. Hewby might think. which was enclosed on that side by a privet-hedge. try how I might. and within a few feet of the door.Stephen walked along by himself for two or three minutes. having determined to rise early and bid him a friendly farewell. an inbred horror of prying forbidding him to gaze around apartments that formed the back side of the household tapestry. that's nothing.' just saved the character of the place. and along by the leafless sycamores. And that's where it is now. and to have a weighty and concerned look in matters of marmalade. Under the hedge was Mr.