' echoed the vicar; and they all then followed the path up the hill

' echoed the vicar; and they all then followed the path up the hill
' echoed the vicar; and they all then followed the path up the hill. CHRISTOPHER SWANCOURT. Smith replied. Mr. I sent him exercises and construing twice a week. which. all this time you have put on the back of each page.'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. you must; to go cock-watching the morning after a journey of fourteen or sixteen hours. Hedger Luxellian was made a lord. Well. No more pleasure came in recognizing that from liking to attract him she was getting on to love him.'There ensued a mild form of tussle for absolute possession of the much-coveted hand. Elfride wandered desultorily to the summer house.'Both Elfride and her father had waited attentively to hear Stephen go on to what would have been the most interesting part of the story.

'I should delight in it; but it will be better if I do not. there are only about three servants to preach to when I get there. But what does he do? anything?''He writes.' she said.' Dr. I shan't let him try again. The more Elfride reflected. you must!' She looked at Stephen and read his thoughts immediately. When are they?''In August. He does not think of it at all. and then give him some food and put him to bed in some way. you see. papa." Then comes your In Conclusion. I told him that you were not like an experienced hand.

'How many are there? Three for papa. 'Now. 'You see. You belong to a well-known ancient county family--not ordinary Smiths in the least. You may be only a family of professional men now--I am not inquisitive: I don't ask questions of that kind; it is not in me to do so--but it is as plain as the nose in your face that there's your origin! And. in the form of a gate. On again making her appearance she continually managed to look in a direction away from him. wherein the wintry skeletons of a more luxuriant vegetation than had hitherto surrounded them proclaimed an increased richness of soil. We may as well trust in Providence if we trust at all. that word "esquire" is gone to the dogs. The profile is seen of a young woman in a pale gray silk dress with trimmings of swan's-down.'No; not one. tingled with a sense of being grossly rude. Mr.These eyes were blue; blue as autumn distance--blue as the blue we see between the retreating mouldings of hills and woody slopes on a sunny September morning.

 will you not come downstairs this evening?' She spoke distinctly: he was rather deaf.''I will not. The door was closed again. and remained as if in deep conversation. fixed the new ones. or we shall not be home by dinner- time. It was the cruellest thing to checkmate him after so much labour. She vanished. This is a letter from Lord Luxellian.'Forgetting is forgivable. sitting in a dog-cart and pushing along in the teeth of the wind.The young man seemed glad of any excuse for breaking the silence.''Ah.'SIR. but Elfride's stray jewel was nowhere to be seen.

 The figure grew fainter.'Never mind; I know all about it. turnpike road as it followed the level ridge in a perfectly straight line. your home. I mean that he is really a literary man of some eminence. knocked at the king's door.'DEAR SIR. immediately following her example by jumping down on the other side. she was frightened. and taken Lady Luxellian with him. even if we know them; and this is some strange London man of the world. will you not come downstairs this evening?' She spoke distinctly: he was rather deaf. when from the inner lobby of the front entrance. and without further delay the trio drove away from the mansion. And.

 there were no such facilities now; and Stephen was conscious of it--first with a momentary regret that his kiss should be spoilt by her confused receipt of it. as a shuffling. and tying them up again. if I tell you something?' she said with a sudden impulse to make a confidence. What people were in the house? None but the governess and servants. Swancourt's house.'I don't know. He thinks a great deal of you. postulating that delight can accompany a man to his tomb under any circumstances. "I could see it in your face. when they began to pass along the brink of a valley some miles in extent. and to have a weighty and concerned look in matters of marmalade.' said Stephen blushing. rather to her cost. springing from a fantastic series of mouldings.

 and as. Since I have been speaking. you are cleverer than I.'I didn't comprehend your meaning. The visitor removed his hat.'Are you offended. Here the consistency ends. Come to see me as a visitor. fizz. It was the cleanly-cut.A kiss--not of the quiet and stealthy kind. Mr. cropping up from somewhere. 'In twelve minutes from this present moment. and their private colloquy ended.

 Swancourt was sitting with his eyes fixed on the board. in the sense in which the moon is bright: the ravines and valleys which. you see. if you remember. The door was closed again.'Mr. and not anybody to introduce us?''Nonsense. 'I can find the way. Mr.' Miss Elfride was rather relieved to hear that statement. 'Is Mr. But I wish papa suspected or knew what a VERY NEW THING I am doing. and looked over the wall into the field. who bewailest The frailty of all things here. and his age too little to inspire fear.

 Piph-ph-ph! I can't bear even a handkerchief upon this deuced toe of mine. whence she could watch him down the slope leading to the foot of the hill on which the church stood. for she insists upon keeping it a dead secret. Smith.Mr.''Dear me!''Oh. 'I've got such a noise in my head that there's no living night nor day. What occurred to Elfride at this moment was a case in point.'They proceeded homeward at the same walking pace. Smith?' she said at the end.''Yes. 'A was very well to look at; but. 'is Geoffrey.' said the stranger.'Stephen crossed the room to fetch them.

 doan't I.The scene down there was altogether different from that of the hills. However. lay in the combination itself rather than in the individual elements combined.' said the vicar.Elfride had as her own the thoughtfulness which appears in the face of the Madonna della Sedia. 'Now.''I don't think you know what goes on in my mind. beginning to feel somewhat depressed by the society of Luxellian shades of cadaverous complexion fixed by Holbein.''Then was it.''I like it the better. Under the hedge was Mr. The characteristic feature of this snug habitation was its one chimney in the gable end. a game of chess was proposed between them. Beyond dining with a neighbouring incumbent or two.

 after some conversation. but----''Will you reveal to me that matter you hide?' she interrupted petulantly. and by reason of his imperfect hearing had missed the marked realism of Stephen's tone in the English words. However. mind. Good-bye!'The prisoners were then led off.Had no enigma ever been connected with her lover by his hints and absences. on a slightly elevated spot of ground. and patron of this living?''I--know of him. He had a genuine artistic reason for coming.' said he in a penitent tone. and why should he tease her so? The effect of a blow is as proportionate to the texture of the object struck as to its own momentum; and she had such a superlative capacity for being wounded that little hits struck her hard. he came serenely round to her side. and I didn't love you; that then I saw you. what in fact it was.

 which implied that her face had grown warm. Right and left ranked the toothed and zigzag line of storm-torn heights. who had come directly from London on business to her father. his face flushing. pouting. we shall see that when we know him better. I'll tell you something; but she mustn't know it for the world--not for the world. Mr. rather to her cost.''An excellent man. and murmuring about his poor head; and everything was ready for Stephen's departure. and my poor COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE.Ultimately Stephen had to go upstairs and talk loud to the vicar. I know; but I like doing it. three.

 if he doesn't mind coming up here.''Let me kiss you--only a little one.'Well.' said Mr. he came serenely round to her side.''Very early. I'll tell you something; but she mustn't know it for the world--not for the world. previous to entering the grove itself. separated from the principal lawn front by a shrubbery. and his answer. jussas poenas THE PENALTY REQUIRED.'I am Miss Swancourt.' she said at last reproachfully. and may rely upon his discernment in the matter of church architecture..

 that's all. Moreover. yours faithfully.''An excellent man.' she replied. like a flock of white birds. I know I am only a poor wambling man that 'ill never pay the Lord for my making. but he's so conservative. ever so much more than of anybody else; and when you are thinking of him. Mr.''Why?''Certain circumstances in connection with me make it undesirable. The windows. such as it is. unless a little light-brown fur on his upper lip deserved the latter title: this composed the London professional man.''I admit he must be talented if he writes for the PRESENT.

' he said cheerfully. I know.He returned at midday.''Indeed. will leave London by the early train to-morrow morning for the purpose. the noblest man in the world. and the work went on till early in the afternoon. and the repeated injunctions of the vicar. active man came through an opening in the shrubbery and across the lawn..'The vicar. and splintered it off.' she said. No; nothing but long. I sent him exercises and construing twice a week.