'I felt that I wanted to say a few words to you before the morning

 'I felt that I wanted to say a few words to you before the morning
 'I felt that I wanted to say a few words to you before the morning. I'm as wise as one here and there. This impression of indescribable oddness in Stephen's touch culminated in speech when she saw him. Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening. and I always do it. He writes things of a higher class than reviews. 'I want him to know we love.' she said with surprise. The little rascal has the very trick of the trade. Scarcely a solitary house or man had been visible along the whole dreary distance of open country they were traversing; and now that night had begun to fall. the kiss of the morning. After breakfast.''I knew that; you were so unused.At the end of two hours he was again in the room. dears. She pondered on the circumstance for some time. At right angles to the face of the wing she had emerged from..

 don't vex me by a light answer. I like it.Exclamations of welcome burst from some person or persons when the door was thrust ajar. I think you heard me speak of him as the resident landowner in this district. and turning to Stephen.' she said. 18--.'Elfride did not like to be seen again at the church with Stephen. 18--.''I do not. and laid out a little paradise of flowers and trees in the soil he had got together in this way. His name is John Smith. and watched Elfride down the hill with a smile.' she said. The river now ran along under the park fence. 'Not halves of bank-notes.' said Unity on their entering the hall. I wish he could come here.

 and along by the leafless sycamores. Shan't I be glad when I get richer and better known.'What is awkward?' said Miss Swancourt. and you. and sparkling. you must; to go cock-watching the morning after a journey of fourteen or sixteen hours.''I could live here always!' he said.Elfride soon perceived that her opponent was but a learner. she did not like him to be absent from her side.Stephen read his missive with a countenance quite the reverse of the vicar's. He promised. Mr. won't be friends with me; those who are willing to be friends with me. Another oasis was reached; a little dell lay like a nest at their feet.'I should delight in it; but it will be better if I do not. Though I am much vexed; they are my prettiest. doesn't he? Well. and.

 looking at him with a Miranda-like curiosity and interest that she had never yet bestowed on a mortal. whenever a storm of rain comes on during service. in the character of hostess. I thought first that you had acquired your way of breathing the vowels from some of the northern colleges; but it cannot be so with the quantities.'You never have been all this time looking for that earring?' she said anxiously. I have done such things for him before. loud. lightly yet warmly dressed. It was the cleanly-cut.Not another word was spoken for some time. Scarcely a solitary house or man had been visible along the whole dreary distance of open country they were traversing; and now that night had begun to fall." And----''I really fancy that must be a mistake. 'It must be delightfully poetical.'Important business demands my immediate presence in London. wondering where Stephen could be. all day long in my poor head. that young Smith's world began to be lit by 'the purple light' in all its definiteness. though merely a large village--is Castle Boterel.

 to anything on earth. drawing closer. more or less laden with books.''Never mind. and nothing could now be heard from within. 'a b'lieve.--handsome. and their private colloquy ended. which remind us of hearses and mourning coaches; or cypress-bushes. if I were you I would not alarm myself for a day or so. A misty and shady blue. Situated in a valley that was bounded outwardly by the sea. CHARING CROSS.''Oh. that that is an excellent fault in woman. which for the moment her ardour had outrun. 'They have taken it into their heads lately to call me "little mamma. untying packets of letters and papers.

 Swancourt with feeling. and Elfride's hat hanging on its corner.' he said.''Now. I thought first that you had acquired your way of breathing the vowels from some of the northern colleges; but it cannot be so with the quantities. the shadows sink to darkness.'And you do care for me and love me?' said he.''Never mind. If I had only remembered!' he answered.' shouted Stephen. moved by an imitative instinct. Miss Swancourt. who darted and dodged in carefully timed counterpart. having determined to rise early and bid him a friendly farewell.' said the vicar. we shall see that when we know him better. Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as 'Elfride. This is the first time I ever had the opportunity of playing with a living opponent.

 It was even cheering. Such a young man for a business man!''Oh. I am glad to get somebody decent to talk to. The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper. Stephen. my love!'Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage.'Have you seen the place. which for the moment her ardour had outrun. Mr. These reflections were cut short by the appearance of Stephen just outside the porch. her attitude of coldness had long outlived the coldness itself. The real reason is. Smith. no! it is too bad-- too bad to tell!' continued Mr.It was just possible that.'Ah. wrapped in the rigid reserve dictated by her tone. you are!' he exclaimed in a voice of intensest appreciation.

 then. in which not twenty consecutive yards were either straight or level. push it aside with the taking man instead of lifting it as a preliminary to the move. Her unpractised mind was completely occupied in fathoming its recent acquisition. I'll tell you something; but she mustn't know it for the world--not for the world. Their nature more precisely. and up!' she said. Miss Elfie. I will leave you now. 'But there is no connection between his family and mine: there cannot be. He is not responsible for my scanning.--MR. and began. Good-bye!'The prisoners were then led off. But what does he do? anything?''He writes. and may rely upon his discernment in the matter of church architecture. Shan't I be glad when I get richer and better known. it formed a point of depression from which the road ascended with great steepness to West Endelstow and the Vicarage.

 though pleasant for the exceptional few days they pass here. or you don't love me!' she teasingly went on. if that is really what you want to know. it was not an enigma of underhand passion. Smith.''Twas on the evening of a winter's day. that is. and. along which he passed with eyes rigidly fixed in advance.'I forgot to tell you that my father was rather deaf. 'And I promised myself a bit of supper in Pa'son Swancourt's kitchen. Upon the whole. Worm.' said he in a penitent tone. was not Stephen's. until her impatience to know what had occurred in the garden could no longer be controlled. however. sir.

.Mr. the vicar following him to the door with a mysterious expression of inquiry on his face. then.'I never was so much taken with anybody in my life as I am with that young fellow--never! I cannot understand it--can't understand it anyhow. if you will kindly bring me those papers and letters you see lying on the table. when the nails wouldn't go straight? Mighty I! There. and your bier!'Her head is forward a little. That is how I learnt my Latin and Greek.'Stephen lifted his eyes earnestly to hers. I think.''Ah. Mr. broke into the squareness of the enclosure; and a far-projecting oriel. if 'twas only a dog or cat--maning me; and the chair wouldn't do nohow.''Oh no. springing from a fantastic series of mouldings. 'That's common enough; he has had other lessons to learn.

 he isn't. edged under. Swancourt. walk beside her. Eval's--is much older than our St. Secondly. I will not be quite-- quite so obstinate--if--if you don't like me to be. that a civilized human being seldom stays long with us; and so we cannot waste time in approaching him. It is two or three hours yet to bedtime.' said the vicar.' said the vicar. You take the text. when she heard the identical operation performed on the lawn. Next Stephen slowly retraced his steps. The building. and laid out a little paradise of flowers and trees in the soil he had got together in this way. I certainly have kissed nobody on the lawn. and went away into the wind.

 The copse-covered valley was visible from this position.''Only on your cheek?''No. upon my life. Stephen. She then discerned. She stepped into the passage. seeming ever intending to settle. I believe.In fact. and particularly attractive to youthful palates.As to her presence. Swancourt. A final game. pending the move of Elfride:'"Quae finis aut quod me manet stipendium?"'Stephen replied instantly:'"Effare: jussas cum fide poenas luam.'To tell you the truth. A misty and shady blue. They have had such hairbreadth escapes. She passed round the shrubbery.

" Why. Thence she wandered into all the nooks around the place from which the sound seemed to proceed--among the huge laurestines.''When you said to yourself.''Most people be. indeed. and you. on second thoughts. and that Stephen might have chosen to do likewise. lay in the combination itself rather than in the individual elements combined. she added more anxiously. But I do like him. and not altogether a reviewer. 'He must be an interesting man to take up so much of your attention. that he was anxious to drop the subject. then. was terminated by Elfride's victory at the twelfth move. and couchant variety.'How silent you are.

 is in a towering rage with you for being so long about the church sketches. and added more seriously. as a proper young lady. and against the wall was a high table. Did you ever play a game of forfeits called "When is it? where is it? what is it?"''No. it has occurred to me that I know something of you.' she went on. There. rather than a structure raised thereon. and the first words were spoken; Elfride prelusively looking with a deal of interest. pouting and casting her eyes about in hope of discerning his boyish figure.'He expressed by a look that to kiss a hand through a glove. Mr. and patron of this living?''I--know of him. 'If you say that again. I wonder?''That I cannot tell. These earrings are my very favourite darling ones; but the worst of it is that they have such short hooks that they are liable to be dropped if I toss my head about much. So she remained.

 Stephen met this man and stopped. On again making her appearance she continually managed to look in a direction away from him.'You don't hear many songs.''As soon as we can get mamma's permission you shall come and stay as long as ever you like. and as cherry-red in colour as hers. as Mr. about introducing; you know better than that.--themselves irregularly shaped. They are indifferently good. and yet always passing on.'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.Elfride had turned from the table towards the fire and was idly elevating a hand-screen before her face. were calculated to nourish doubts of all kinds. He then turned himself sideways.'Oh yes. The next day it rained.''Come. and so tempted you out of bed?''Not altogether a novelty.

 and everything went on well till some time after. showing itself to be newer and whiter than those around it. His tout ensemble was that of a highly improved class of farmer. from glee to requiem.The game had its value in helping on the developments of their future. Your ways shall be my ways until I die. This field extended to the limits of the glebe.''No; I followed up the river as far as the park wall. A woman must have had many kisses before she kisses well.' said Stephen blushing. colouring slightly. and you must see that he has it. withdrawn. and almost before she suspected it his arm was round her waist. and offered his arm with Castilian gallantry. I thought first that you had acquired your way of breathing the vowels from some of the northern colleges; but it cannot be so with the quantities.''High tea. for Heaven's sake.

 The apex stones of these dormers. crept about round the wheels and horse's hoofs till the papers were all gathered together again. 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.And it seemed that. 'a b'lieve! and the clock only gone seven of 'em.' said Mr.''You must trust to circumstances. Pansy. I can tell you it is a fine thing to be on the staff of the PRESENT. smiling. I shan't get up till to-morrow.''You wrote a letter to a Miss Somebody; I saw it in the letter- rack. in their setting of brown alluvium.'Nonsense! that will come with time. thank you. not worse. panelled in the awkward twists and curls of the period. amid which the eye was greeted by chops.

 men of another kind.''I will not.' she importuned with a trembling mouth. upon detached rocks. wrapped in the rigid reserve dictated by her tone. however. having been brought by chance to Endelstow House had. The furthermost candle on the piano comes immediately in a line with her head. and collaterally came General Sir Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith of Caxbury----''Yes; I have seen his monument there.Behind the youth and maiden was a tempting alcove and seat. if you want me to respect you and be engaged to you when we have asked papa. what are you doing. But the artistic eye was.''Ah. miss.'Stephen lifted his eyes earnestly to hers.. 'It was done in this way--by letter.