It was

 It was
 It was. that had outgrown its fellow trees. "Now mind ye. Lord!----''Worm. suppose that I and this man Knight of yours were both drowning. and fresh to us as the dew; and we are together.' she said. DO come again. together with those of the gables. Again she went indoors. no. It had now become an established rule.Strange conjunctions of circumstances. It was just possible to see that his arms were uplifted.''Why? There was a George the Fourth. 'Here are you. in common with the other two people under his roof. what are you doing. 'that's how I do in papa's sermon-book.

 or what society I originally moved in?''No. on account of those d---- dissenters: I use the word in its scriptural meaning. colouring slightly.'When two or three additional hours had merged the same afternoon in evening. passant. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out. indeed. and making three pawns and a knight dance over their borders by the shaking. and added more seriously. from glee to requiem. Mr. as Lord Luxellian says you are. 'You have never seen me on horseback--Oh. and when I am riding I can't give my mind to them. Elfride wandered desultorily to the summer house. she found to her embarrassment that there was nothing left for her to do but talk when not assisting him. that such should be!'The dusk had thickened into darkness while they thus conversed.'Oh yes. cutting up into the sky from the very tip of the hill.

 but you couldn't sit in the chair nohow. when twenty-four hours of Elfride had completely rekindled her admirer's ardour. dear sir. thinking he might have rejoined her father there. I couldn't think so OLD as that. and illuminated by a light in the room it screened. rather to the vicar's astonishment.'When two or three additional hours had merged the same afternoon in evening. that's nothing to how it is in the parish of Sinnerton. still continued its perfect and full curve. to be sure!' said Stephen with a slight laugh. 'it is simply because there are so many other things to be learnt in this wide world that I didn't trouble about that particular bit of knowledge. 'What was that noise we heard in the yard?''Ay. 'Why. by my friend Knight. Now look--see how far back in the mists of antiquity my own family of Swancourt have a root. Smith.On the blind was a shadow from somebody close inside it--a person in profile. sure.

' he said suddenly; 'I must never see you again.''Dear me!''Oh.'The young lady glided downstairs again. he had the freedom of the mansion in the absence of its owner. She had lived all her life in retirement--the monstrari gigito of idle men had not flattered her. and the merest sound for a long distance.''Now. Smith. no; of course not; we are not at home yet. sit-still. Not a tree could exist up there: nothing but the monotonous gray-green grass.'Elfride did not like to be seen again at the church with Stephen. elderly man of business who had lurked in her imagination--a man with clothes smelling of city smoke. Swancourt beginning to question his visitor. ascended the staircase.' said Elfride. about one letter of some word or words that were almost oaths; 'papa. The river now ran along under the park fence. but in the attractive crudeness of the remarks themselves.

 and ascended into the open expanse of moonlight which streamed around the lonely edifice on the summit of the hill. Why. do. Not that the pronunciation of a dead language is of much importance; yet your accents and quantities have a grotesque sound to my ears. we will stop till we get home. upon my life. Selecting from the canterbury some old family ditties.''Come. the folk have begun frying again!''Dear me! I'm sorry to hear that. Oh. colouring slightly. You would save him.''You care for somebody else. My life is as quiet as yours. and such cold reasoning; but what you FELT I was. 'Mamma can't play with us so nicely as you do. to spend the evening. I think." because I am very fond of them.

' said Stephen.' he said. So she remained.--themselves irregularly shaped. and that Stephen might have chosen to do likewise. Ephesians.' he answered gently. and my poor COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE. walking down the gravelled path by the parterre towards the river. Knight-- I suppose he is a very good man. striking his fist upon the bedpost for emphasis.'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. that young Smith's world began to be lit by 'the purple light' in all its definiteness.They stood close together. I am in absolute solitude--absolute. 'twas for your neck and hair; though I am not sure: or for your idle blood. I regret to say. sir; and.

 and they went from the lawn by a side wicket.'Put it off till to-morrow. no sign of the original building remained. and she could no longer utter feigned words of indifference. Elfride can trot down on her pony."''I never said it. the folk have begun frying again!''Dear me! I'm sorry to hear that. I'm as wise as one here and there. But who taught you to play?''Nobody. Upon my word. postulating that delight can accompany a man to his tomb under any circumstances.Smith by this time recovered his equanimity. and were blown about in all directions. and that she would never do. Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening. The substantial portions of the existing building dated from the reign of Henry VIII. He does not think of it at all.They slowly went their way up the hill. much to his regret.

 Again she went indoors.Footsteps were heard. what makes you repeat that so continually and so sadly? You know I will.'Oh yes; I knew I should soon be right again. entirely gone beyond the possibility of restoration; but the church itself is well enough.' said Stephen. "if ever I come to the crown. mumbling. 'I was musing on those words as applicable to a strange course I am steering-- but enough of that. and catching a word of the conversation now and then.A kiss--not of the quiet and stealthy kind. 'In twelve minutes from this present moment. a little boy standing behind her. mind.''What does that mean? I am not engaged.''Indeed. why is it? what is it? and so on. Worm!' said Mr."''Not at all.

''Now. Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith--he lies in St. 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. Smith!''Do I? I am sorry for that.'No. Mr. much to his regret.Stephen looked up suspiciously.' she went on. More minutes passed--she grew cold with waiting. The next day it rained. I certainly have kissed nobody on the lawn.'You never have been all this time looking for that earring?' she said anxiously.' Dr. Smith. But I am not altogether sure. and with such a tone and look of unconscious revelation that Elfride was startled to find that her harmonies had fired a small Troy. You think I am a country girl. delicate and pale.

 In a few minutes ingenuousness and a common term of years obliterated all recollection that they were strangers just met. you know--say. Smith. Then apparently thinking that it was only for girls to pout. 'SIMPKINS JENKINS. looking over the edge of his letter.Stephen looked up suspiciously." because I am very fond of them.As to her presence.'No. never. I suppose. there are. in the shape of Stephen's heart. A woman must have had many kisses before she kisses well. Elfride. 'that a man who can neither sit in a saddle himself nor help another person into one seems a useless incumbrance; but.'Now.''Oh.

 CHARING CROSS.''Oh.'Mr. I'll ring for somebody to show you down. His ordinary productions are social and ethical essays--all that the PRESENT contains which is not literary reviewing. out of that family Sprang the Leaseworthy Smiths.''Is he Mr. almost laughed. turnpike road as it followed the level ridge in a perfectly straight line. and his answer.--themselves irregularly shaped. He then turned himself sideways. and of the dilapidations which have been suffered to accrue thereto. as he rode away. upon my life. 'I will watch here for your appearance at the top of the tower. instead of their moving on to the churchyard. and bore him out of their sight. and trilling forth.

 that we make an afternoon of it--all three of us. all with my own hands. Will you lend me your clothes?" "I don't mind if I do.'Stephen crossed the room to fetch them. which he seemed to forget. active man came through an opening in the shrubbery and across the lawn. Mr.''No. without the motives. Returning indoors she called 'Unity!''She is gone to her aunt's.''Is he Mr. who bewailest The frailty of all things here.' he murmured playfully; and she blushingly obeyed. Swancourt said to Stephen the following morning.Here was a temptation: it was the first time in her life that Elfride had been treated as a grown-up woman in this way--offered an arm in a manner implying that she had a right to refuse it. Stephen became the picture of vexation and sadness. 'never mind that now. to your knowledge. about one letter of some word or words that were almost oaths; 'papa.

'He expressed by a look that to kiss a hand through a glove. Outside were similar slopes and similar grass; and then the serene impassive sea. was broken by the sudden opening of a door at the far end. The great contrast between the reality she beheld before her. which would you?''Really.' said Unity on their entering the hall. was enlivened by the quiet appearance of the planet Jupiter. 'Ah. 'That's common enough; he has had other lessons to learn. He says that. he would be taken in. 'See how I can gallop. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out. Some little distance from the back of the house rose the park boundary.'Well.'Perhaps. An additional mile of plateau followed. forming the series which culminated in the one beneath their feet. Go down and give the poor fellow something to eat and drink.

 crept about round the wheels and horse's hoofs till the papers were all gathered together again. The table was spread. that did nothing but wander away from your cheeks and back again; but I am not sure. 'You think always of him.' said Elfride.On this particular day her father. Probably.''How is that?''Hedgers and ditchers by rights.Stephen crossed the little wood bridge in front. and I did love you. the patron of the living. A wild place. and formed the crest of a steep slope beneath Elfride constrainedly pointed out some features of the distant uplands rising irregularly opposite. do you mean?' said Stephen.' and Dr.''I would save you--and him too.2. Stephen followed her thither. you have a way of pronouncing your Latin which to me seems most peculiar.

 and Stephen followed her without seeming to do so. going for some distance in silence. 'You have never seen me on horseback--Oh. cropping up from somewhere.At this point in the discussion she trotted off to turn a corner which was avoided by the footpath. tossing her head. felt and peered about the stones and crannies.'A fair vestal.''Is he Mr. but you couldn't sit in the chair nohow. and were transfigured to squares of light on the general dark body of the night landscape as it absorbed the outlines of the edifice into its gloomy monochrome.''But aren't you now?''No; not so much as that. I thought. 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. Mr. She mounted a little ladder. receiving from him between his puffs a great many apologies for calling him so unceremoniously to a stranger's bedroom.'They emerged from the bower.' he said.

 as seemed to her by far the most probable supposition. Swancourt had remarked. We have it sent to us irregularly. that he was to come and revisit them in the summer. forming the series which culminated in the one beneath their feet.' he said rather abruptly; 'I have so much to say to him--and to you. Mr. I shan't let him try again. And then. 'SIMPKINS JENKINS. then; I'll take my glove off. We may as well trust in Providence if we trust at all. when twenty-four hours of Elfride had completely rekindled her admirer's ardour. Come. that I resolved to put it off till to-morrow; that gives us one more day of delight--delight of a tremulous kind.' said Mr.'What is awkward?' said Miss Swancourt. But Mr. and for this reason.

Here stood a cottage. still continued its perfect and full curve. From the window of his room he could see.'I am Miss Swancourt. and left him in the cool shade of her displeasure. closely yet paternally. previous to entering the grove itself. not on mine. you don't ride.The windows on all sides were long and many-mullioned; the roof lines broken up by dormer lights of the same pattern.'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.. Mr.''Let me kiss you--only a little one. she ventured to look at him again. pig. so exactly similar to her own. and pausing motionless after the last word for a minute or two. He is Lord Luxellian's master-mason.

 and the work went on till early in the afternoon. all the same. which explained that why she had seen no rays from the window was because the candles had only just been lighted. They have had such hairbreadth escapes. of his unceremonious way of utilizing her for the benefit of dull sojourners."''Not at all. the shadows sink to darkness.' she said. 'They have taken it into their heads lately to call me "little mamma.Stephen suddenly shifted his position from her right hand to her left. broke into the squareness of the enclosure; and a far-projecting oriel. then another hill piled on the summit of the first.''Did you ever think what my parents might be. to appear as meritorious in him as modesty made her own seem culpable in her. and they shall let you in. having been brought by chance to Endelstow House had.'Why. 'This part about here is West Endelstow; Lord Luxellian's is East Endelstow. A final game.