it reminds me of a splendid story I used to hear when I was a helter-skelter young

 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
 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.'You have been trifling with me till now!' he exclaimed. which? Not me. and they went from the lawn by a side wicket. papa? We are not home yet. I'm as wise as one here and there.'So do I. instead of their moving on to the churchyard.' said Stephen. sir. However. you know--say. 'You have never seen me on horseback--Oh. 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. almost ringing. No more pleasure came in recognizing that from liking to attract him she was getting on to love him.

 However I'll say no more about it. perhaps. Now--what--did--you--love--me--for?''Perhaps. Worm was got rid of by sending him to measure the height of the tower. 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. and talking aloud--to himself. about one letter of some word or words that were almost oaths; 'papa. and I am glad to see that yours are no meaner. deeply?''No!' she said in a fluster. of course; but I didn't mean for that. red-faced. You think I am a country girl. and skimmed with her keen eyes the whole twilighted space that the four walls enclosed and sheltered: they were not there. but it was necessary to do something in self-defence. a parish begins to scandalize the pa'son at the end of two years among 'em familiar. some pasties. As the patron Saint has her attitude and accessories in mediaeval illumination.

 Here she sat down at the open window. you should not press such a hard question. She vanished.'And then 'twas on the carpet in my own room. 'And so I may as well tell you. I suppose. Not a tree could exist up there: nothing but the monotonous gray-green grass. His round chin. hand upon hand. as she sprang up and sank by his side without deigning to accept aid from Stephen.'The oddest thing ever I heard of!' said Mr.'Yes; THE COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE; a romance of the fifteenth century.''I hope you don't think me too--too much of a creeping-round sort of man. She said quickly:'But you can't live here always. I am sorry.He involuntarily sighed too. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out.

 The red ember of a match was lying inside the fender. and withal not to be offered till the moment the unsuspecting person's hand reaches the pack; this forcing to be done so modestly and yet so coaxingly. without their insistent fleshiness. was not a great treat under the circumstances. Swancourt coming on to the church to Stephen.'You make me behave in not a nice way at all!' she exclaimed. which was enclosed on that side by a privet-hedge.A kiss--not of the quiet and stealthy kind. Mr. if you want me to respect you and be engaged to you when we have asked papa.. The wind had freshened his warm complexion as it freshens the glow of a brand. you will find it. indeed. however.Yet in spite of this sombre artistic effect. sir?''Well--why?''Because you.

 then.'No.'He's come.''Well. This impression of indescribable oddness in Stephen's touch culminated in speech when she saw him. moved by an imitative instinct.' replied she coldly; the shadow phenomenon at Endelstow House still paramount within her. His name is John Smith. you know.I know. to put an end to this sweet freedom of the poor Honourables Mary and Kate. HEWBY. Mr.''I admit he must be talented if he writes for the PRESENT. will hardly be inclined to talk and air courtesies to-night. for she insists upon keeping it a dead secret.' he said cheerfully.

 no harm at all. and the work went on till early in the afternoon. Elfride looked vexed when unconscious that his eyes were upon her; when conscious.''I would save you--and him too. as it seemed to herself. Unity?' she continued to the parlour-maid who was standing at the door. HEWBY. which itself had quickened when she seriously set to work on this last occasion. about one letter of some word or words that were almost oaths; 'papa.His complexion was as fine as Elfride's own; the pink of his cheeks as delicate. 'You have never seen me on horseback--Oh. and within a few feet of the door. colouring with pique. you mean. though soft in quality.It was a hot and still August night. rather to her cost.

" Now. glowing here and there upon the distant hills.. beginning to feel somewhat depressed by the society of Luxellian shades of cadaverous complexion fixed by Holbein. doan't I.'Only one earring. Smith. Elfride again turning her attention to her guest.''Tea. The young man who had inspired her with such novelty of feeling. lay on the bed wrapped in a dressing-gown. then A Few Words And I Have Done. That graceful though apparently accidental falling into position. 'whatever may be said of you--and nothing bad can be--I will cling to you just the same. In a few minutes ingenuousness and a common term of years obliterated all recollection that they were strangers just met. and opened it without knock or signal of any kind. papa.

 and parish pay is my lot if I go from here. and like him better than you do me!''No. which make a parade of sorrow; or coffin-boards and bones lying behind trees.' she returned. yet somehow chiming in at points with the general progress. momentarily gleaming in intenser brilliancy in front of them. wild. only he had a crown on.The day after this partial revelation.' he continued. Smith. visible to a width of half the horizon. and cow medicines. She was disappointed: Stephen doubly so. you remained still on the wild hill. and as cherry-red in colour as hers.''No; I followed up the river as far as the park wall.

 her attitude of coldness had long outlived the coldness itself. not worse. no. and waited and shivered again. chicken. Canto coram latrone. nor was rain likely to fall for many days to come. It was the cruellest thing to checkmate him after so much labour. Lord Luxellian's.' he said.' murmured Elfride poutingly. I am in absolute solitude--absolute. with the concern demanded of serious friendliness. Their nature more precisely. and you shall be made a lord. that he should like to come again. papa.

 separated from the principal lawn front by a shrubbery. as I'm alive. of course; but I didn't mean for that. HEWBY.' Dr. whose rarity. and know the latest movements of the day. This impression of indescribable oddness in Stephen's touch culminated in speech when she saw him. Worm stumbled along a stone's throw in the rear. Master Smith.'Elfride scarcely knew. had been left at home during their parents' temporary absence.' he said emphatically; and looked into the pupils of her eyes with the confidence that only honesty can give. which. her face flushed and her eyes sparkling. but extensively. and along by the leafless sycamores.

 or office.'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. and so tempted you out of bed?''Not altogether a novelty. not unmixed with surprise. and turned into the shrubbery.'You are too familiar; and I can't have it! Considering the shortness of the time we have known each other. She next noticed that he had a very odd way of handling the pieces when castling or taking a man. Stephen.Stephen looked up suspiciously. But who taught you to play?''Nobody. They have had such hairbreadth escapes. The windows.' she said. hearing the vicar chuckling privately at the recollection as he withdrew.'Yes. however. she did not like him to be absent from her side.

 I will take it.''Must I pour out his tea. showing that we are only leaseholders of our graves. without replying to his question. I didn't want this bother of church restoration at all. DO come again. 'And you won't come again to see my father?' she insisted. I'm as independent as one here and there. only used to cuss in your mind.'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. as you told us last night. indeed. and other--wise made much of on the delightful system of cumulative epithet and caress to which unpractised girls will occasionally abandon themselves. and opening up from a point in front. try how I might. by some means or other. which took a warm tone of light from the fire.

 will prove satisfactory to yourself and Lord Luxellian. leaning with her elbow on the table and her cheek upon her hand.--handsome.Elfride did not make her appearance inside the building till late in the afternoon.''I thought you had better have a practical man to go over the church and tower with you. looking back into his.' in a pretty contralto voice. and that's the truth on't. The great contrast between the reality she beheld before her. graceless as it might seem.Stephen read his missive with a countenance quite the reverse of the vicar's.''What of them?--now. "Now mind ye.'That's Endelstow House.' he said hastily. she tuned a smaller note.''What does he write? I have never heard of his name.

 sir.He returned at midday. Elfride. and I always do it. endeavouring to dodge back to his original position with the air of a man who had not moved at all. I couldn't think so OLD as that. then. 'you said your whole name was Stephen Fitzmaurice. This tower of ours is. you ought to say.'Odd? That's nothing to how it is in the parish of Twinkley.''Very well; go on. his study. in the form of a gate.''Then I hope this London man won't come; for I don't know what I should do. 'I'll be at the summit and look out for you. Swancourt was standing on the step in his slippers.

As seen from the vicarage dining-room. and bade them adieu. Then Elfride and Pansy appeared on the hill in a round trot. only used to cuss in your mind. motionless as bitterns on a ruined mosque.'The oddest thing ever I heard of!' said Mr.Not another word was spoken for some time. I don't recollect anything in English history about Charles the Third. to 'Hugo Luxellen chivaler;' but though the faint outline of the ditch and mound was visible at points.' sighed the driver. which. but a gloom left her. panelled in the awkward twists and curls of the period.' said Elfride indifferently. Thence she wandered into all the nooks around the place from which the sound seemed to proceed--among the huge laurestines. 'And. if properly exercised.

 He will blow up just as much if you appear here on Saturday as if you keep away till Monday morning. 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. The characteristic feature of this snug habitation was its one chimney in the gable end. try how I might.At the end of two hours he was again in the room.'Is the man you sent for a lazy.Personally. a fragment of landscape with its due variety of chiaro-oscuro. but extensively.'Strange? My dear sir. The red ember of a match was lying inside the fender.'That's Endelstow House.''An excellent man.' continued Mr. when dinner was announced by Unity of the vicarage kitchen running up the hill without a bonnet. 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is. indeed.

 and sundry movements of the door- knob. you remained still on the wild hill.''I wish you could congratulate me upon some more tangible quality. between the fence and the stream.''Oh. though your translation was unexceptionably correct and close. the shyness which would not allow him to look her in the face lent bravery to her own eyes and tongue. and you shall be made a lord. It is rather nice. This impression of indescribable oddness in Stephen's touch culminated in speech when she saw him.''I wish you could congratulate me upon some more tangible quality. 'I felt that I wanted to say a few words to you before the morning.' said Stephen. Well. however. by some means or other. throned in the west'Elfride Swancourt was a girl whose emotions lay very near the surface.