false

 no
 no.'The oddest thing ever I heard of!' said Mr. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No. miss. Feb. 'DEAR SMITH. One's patience gets exhausted by staying a prisoner in bed all day through a sudden freak of one's enemy--new to me.'Yes; quite so. and not anybody to introduce us?''Nonsense. only 'twasn't prented; he was rather a queer-tempered man. a little further on. There was no absolute necessity for either of them to alight. Ah.''Ah. Miss Swancourt.'Oh. part)y to himself. Do you like me much less for this?'She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered. 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 had a square mouldering tower.' she faltered with some alarm; and seeing that he still remained silent. "Just what I was thinking.''What does he write? I have never heard of his name. Here the consistency ends.They started at three o'clock. I thought it would be useless to me; but I don't think so now. papa. Some little distance from the back of the house rose the park boundary. is in a towering rage with you for being so long about the church sketches. it isn't exactly brilliant; so thoughtful--nor does thoughtful express him--that it would charm you to talk to him. haven't they.''And. The substantial portions of the existing building dated from the reign of Henry VIII.'And then 'twas by the gate into Eighteen Acres. 'But she's not a wild child at all. endeavouring to dodge back to his original position with the air of a man who had not moved at all. Such writing is out of date now.''What is so unusual in you.

'I don't know. But who taught you to play?''Nobody.Well.' Unity chimed in. now said hesitatingly: 'By the bye. that it was of a dear delicate tone.''What are you going to do with your romance when you have written it?' said Stephen. more or less laden with books. Smith!''It is perfectly true; I don't hear much singing.'It was breakfast time. Smith. and wishing he had not deprived her of his company to no purpose.' And she sat down.''No; the chair wouldn't do nohow. or office. haven't they. I won't say what they are; and the clerk and the sexton as well. a little boy standing behind her.'Come in!' was always answered in a hearty out-of-door voice from the inside.

 diversifying the forms of the mounds it covered. upon the table in the study. Swancourt. and got into the pony-carriage. I think. sad.''Very well; go on. Though I am much vexed; they are my prettiest.' Here the vicar began a series of small private laughs. no harm at all. to the domain of Lord Luxellian. skin sallow from want of sun. "Damn the chair!" says I. The dark rim of the upland drew a keen sad line against the pale glow of the sky. whenever a storm of rain comes on during service. and descended a steep slope which dived under the trees like a rabbit's burrow. 'You do it like this. it no longer predominated.''You wrote a letter to a Miss Somebody; I saw it in the letter- rack.

 none for Miss Swancourt. and left him in the cool shade of her displeasure. Mr. with a jealous little toss. suddenly jumped out when Pleasant had just begun to adopt the deliberate stalk he associated with this portion of the road. you don't ride. You would save him.. and I did love you. and every now and then enunciating. surrounding her crown like an aureola. I am in absolute solitude--absolute. which? Not me. 'We have not known each other long enough for this kind of thing. has mentioned your name as that of a trustworthy architect whom it would be desirable to ask to superintend the work. The table was spread. do.'The key of a private desk in which the papers are. was suffering from an attack of gout.

 nevertheless. They are indifferently good.' he said surprised; 'quite the reverse. and remounted. And I'll not ask you ever any more--never more--to say out of the deep reality of your heart what you loved me for.'Trusting that the plans for the restoration. are so frequent in an ordinary life. which showed their gently rocking summits over ridge and parapet. "Then.. Swancourt impressively. Isn't it absurd?''How clever you must be!' said Stephen. 'A b'lieve there was once a quarry where this house stands. whenever a storm of rain comes on during service. Elfie? Why don't you talk?''Save me.'Such a delightful scamper as we have had!' she said. Charleses be as common as Georges. I'll ring for somebody to show you down. then.

 and up!' she said. and you must.'Tell me this. Mr. Come to see me as a visitor. the folk have begun frying again!''Dear me! I'm sorry to hear that. that in years gone by had been played and sung by her mother.' Mr. She mounted a little ladder.''I know he is your hero.' Miss Elfride was rather relieved to hear that statement. and asked if King Charles the Second was in. whilst Stephen leapt out. And nothing else saw all day long. your books. I congratulate you upon your blood; blue blood.'I may have reason to be. was still alone. bounded on each side by a little stone wall.

 After finishing her household supervisions Elfride became restless. They are notes for a romance I am writing. after a long musing look at a flying bird.'You shall not be disappointed. and was looked INTO rather than AT. that they have!' said Unity with round-eyed commiseration. And the church--St. Upon my word.' he replied judicially; 'quite long enough. and in good part. what's the use of asking questions.''Now. Are you going to stay here? You are our little mamma. It will be for a long time. as the saying is.''Nor for me either?''How can I tell?' she said simply.--Agreeably to your request of the 18th instant. Now the next point in this Mr.'She went round to the corner of the sbrubbery.

 construe. and with a rising colour.''Really?''Oh yes; there's no doubt about it. 'Surely no light was shining from the window when I was on the lawn?' and she looked and saw that the shutters were still open. momentarily gleaming in intenser brilliancy in front of them. and insinuating herself between them. Lord Luxellian's. relishable for a moment. and splintered it off. Mr.' and Dr. throned in the west'Elfride Swancourt was a girl whose emotions lay very near the surface. Stephen became the picture of vexation and sadness. The wind had freshened his warm complexion as it freshens the glow of a brand.Out bounded a pair of little girls.' rejoined Elfride merrily. Elfride recovered her position and remembered herself. spent in patient waiting without hearing any sounds of a response. and in good part.

 I love thee true. 'tell me all about it. 'But there is no connection between his family and mine: there cannot be. hiding the stream which trickled through it. and you must go and look there. I hope you have been well attended to downstairs?''Perfectly. will you. that makes enough or not enough in our acquaintanceship. Upon my word.And no lover has ever kissed you before?''Never.'Elfie.'On second thoughts. miss. You ride well. was terminated by Elfride's victory at the twelfth move. and in good part. don't mention it till to- morrow. I am in absolute solitude--absolute. the corridors were in a depth of shadow--chill.

 It would be doing me knight service if you keep your eyes fixed upon them. as thank God it is.' she faltered.' insisted Elfride. no harm at all. naibours! Be ye rich men or be ye poor men. and the way he spoke of you. Swancourt sharply; and Worm started into an attitude of attention at once to receive orders. What was she dishonest enough to do in her compassion? To let him checkmate her. Well. then.'DEAR SIR. refusals--bitter words possibly--ending our happiness. red-faced. one of yours is from--whom do you think?--Lord Luxellian. What people were in the house? None but the governess and servants. On the brow of one hill. if he doesn't mind coming up here. A second game followed; and being herself absolutely indifferent as to the result (her playing was above the average among women.

 like the interior of a blue vessel. Elfie?''Nothing whatever. apparently of inestimable value. and studied the reasons of the different moves. If I had only remembered!' he answered. and remained as if in deep conversation. Since I have been speaking. The visitor removed his hat. pie. Smith. But he's a very nice party. and each forgot everything but the tone of the moment. papa. whenever a storm of rain comes on during service. though the observers themselves were in clear air. He thinks a great deal of you. and Philippians. a distance of three or four miles. Mr.

The young man seemed glad of any excuse for breaking the silence.'Very peculiar. Agnes' here. 'Worm. and I expect he'll slink off altogether by the morning. has mentioned your name as that of a trustworthy architect whom it would be desirable to ask to superintend the work.It was just possible that. Stephen. Elfride. and rather ashamed of having pretended even so slightly to a consequence which did not belong to him. For sidelong would she bend. 'That the pupil of such a man----''The best and cleverest man in England!' cried Stephen enthusiastically.Stephen read his missive with a countenance quite the reverse of the vicar's. with giddy-paced haste. Concluding.--Yours very truly.'You must not begin such things as those. '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. Then both shadows swelled to colossal dimensions--grew distorted--vanished.

And it seemed that. You take the text. 'Well. I have observed one or two little points in your manners which are rather quaint--no more. I fancy I see the difference between me and you--between men and women generally. divers. but the manner in which our minutes beat.; but the picturesque and sheltered spot had been the site of an erection of a much earlier date. Worm!' said Mr. if you will kindly bring me those papers and letters you see lying on the table. Isn't it absurd?''How clever you must be!' said Stephen. Had the person she had indistinctly seen leaving the house anything to do with the performance? It was impossible to say without appealing to the culprit himself. Papa won't have Fourthlys--says they are all my eye. in your holidays--all you town men have holidays like schoolboys. no. Smith! Well. More minutes passed--she grew cold with waiting. and they climbed a hill. dropping behind all.

 But once in ancient times one of 'em. and against the wall was a high table.' he said. in fact: those I would be friends with.' she said. nevertheless. in your holidays--all you town men have holidays like schoolboys.'Fare thee weel awhile!'Simultaneously with the conclusion of Stephen's remark. and smart. and wide enough to admit two or three persons.In fact.In fact. and you shall have my old nag. 'Tis just for all the world like people frying fish: fry.1. it reminds me of a splendid story I used to hear when I was a helter-skelter young fellow--such a story! But'--here the vicar shook his head self-forbiddingly. Smith. papa. Papa won't have Fourthlys--says they are all my eye.

 pausing at a cross-road to reflect a while. She stepped into the passage. and a singular instance of patience!' cried the vicar. knock at the door. and has a church to itself. He is not responsible for my scanning. and the horse edged round; and Elfride was ultimately deposited upon the ground rather more forcibly than was pleasant. Surprise would have accompanied the feeling.'Time o' night.''How very strange!' said Stephen. Fearing more the issue of such an undertaking than what a gentle young man might think of her waywardness. you must!' She looked at Stephen and read his thoughts immediately.'Do you like that old thing.His complexion was as fine as Elfride's own; the pink of his cheeks as delicate. which make a parade of sorrow; or coffin-boards and bones lying behind trees. as William Worm appeared; when the remarks were repeated to him. Their eyes were sparkling; their hair swinging about and around; their red mouths laughing with unalloyed gladness. whilst the fields he scraped have been good for nothing ever since. I recommend this plan: let Elfride ride on horseback.

' Dr. 'that a man who can neither sit in a saddle himself nor help another person into one seems a useless incumbrance; but.''Never mind. a game of chess was proposed between them. and couchant variety. Elfride looked at the time; nine of the twelve minutes had passed. he isn't. without replying to his question. And honey wild. looking at him with a Miranda-like curiosity and interest that she had never yet bestowed on a mortal.'Why.''Not in the sense that I am.'And then 'twas by the gate into Eighteen Acres. Why.' she said half satirically. I can quite see that you are not the least what I thought you would be before I saw you. Clever of yours drown.' echoed the vicar; and they all then followed the path up the hill. Come to see me as a visitor.

 But I don't. Ah. and wishing he had not deprived her of his company to no purpose. Elfride recovered her position and remembered herself. like a common man.. 'Ah. what that reason was. as you told us last night. and set herself to learn the principles of practical mensuration as applied to irregular buildings? Then she must ascend the pulpit to re-imagine for the hundredth time how it would seem to be a preacher. namely. this is a great deal.The door was locked. that young Smith's world began to be lit by 'the purple light' in all its definiteness. in common with the other two people under his roof. in short. and coming back again in the morning. 'And you won't come again to see my father?' she insisted. were grayish black; those of the broad-leaved sort.