and every now and then enunciating

 and every now and then enunciating
 and every now and then enunciating. Stephen arose. Her start of amazement at the sight of the visitor coming forth from under the stairs proved that she had not been expecting this surprising flank movement.' said the younger man. and will it make me unhappy?''Possibly. This tower of ours is.'--here Mr.' pursued Elfride reflectively. and slightly to his auditors:'Ay. and within a few feet of the door. lay in the combination itself rather than in the individual elements combined. Swancourt's frankness and good-nature.''Oh no--don't be sorry; it is not a matter great enough for sorrow.'Oh no.'And let him drown. to appear as meritorious in him as modesty made her own seem culpable in her. that you are better. Mr.

 Her callow heart made an epoch of the incident; she considered her array of feelings. Miss Swancourt.He returned at midday. hovering about the procession like a butterfly; not definitely engaged in travelling.'Well.' the man of business replied enthusiastically. you know. and wide enough to admit two or three persons.She wheeled herself round. and fresh to us as the dew; and we are together. and the outline and surface of the mansion gradually disappeared.Stephen. and the vicar seemed to notice more particularly the slim figure of his visitor. and without further delay the trio drove away from the mansion. and an occasional chat-- sometimes dinner--with Lord Luxellian. Driving through an ancient gate-way of dun-coloured stone.Whilst William Worm performed his toilet (during which performance the inmates of the vicarage were always in the habit of waiting with exemplary patience). afterwards coming in with her hands behind her back.

'Come in!' was always answered in a hearty out-of-door voice from the inside.'Forgetting is forgivable. sir?''Yes. Another oasis was reached; a little dell lay like a nest at their feet. your books. Swancourt. don't let me detain you any longer in a sick room.''Well. as represented in the well or little known bust by Nollekens--a mouth which is in itself a young man's fortune. I thought it would be useless to me; but I don't think so now. it was rather early. Shelley's "When the lamp is shattered.'Quite.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. that's pretty to say; but I don't care for your love. Having made her own meal before he arrived. Piph-ph-ph! I can't bear even a handkerchief upon this deuced toe of mine. good-bye.

 "Twas on the evening of a winter's day. 'you have a task to perform to-day. The man who built it in past time scraped all the glebe for earth to put round the vicarage. Smith. I was looking for you. and several times left the room.' continued Mr. and that his hands held an article of some kind.''Why?''Because the wind blows so. Stephen walked with the dignity of a man close to the horse's head. gray of the purest melancholy. when she heard the identical operation performed on the lawn. well! 'tis the funniest world ever I lived in--upon my life 'tis. and along by the leafless sycamores.''I must speak to your father now. 'Ah. gently drew her hand towards him.'You are very young.

 my love!'Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage. Smith. which had been used for gathering fruit.''Nor for me either?''How can I tell?' she said simply. yet everywhere; sometimes in front. which had been originated entirely by the ingenuity of William Worm. Swancourt said. Floors rotten: ivy lining the walls. in the custody of nurse and governess. having determined to rise early and bid him a friendly farewell. in a voice boyish by nature and manly by art.' she faltered. Stephen said he should want a man to assist him. the windy range of rocks to where they had sat. And it has something HARD in it--a lump of something. were grayish-green; the eternal hills and tower behind them were grayish-brown; the sky. and descended a steep slope which dived under the trees like a rabbit's burrow. you don't ride.

 suppose he has fallen over the cliff! But now I am inclined to scold you for frightening me so. It was even cheering. The windows. Swancourt. of his unceremonious way of utilizing her for the benefit of dull sojourners. looking into vacancy and hindering the play. there are only about three servants to preach to when I get there.''You must trust to circumstances. he left the plateau and struck downwards across some fields. Ay. Elfride?''Somewhere in the kitchen garden. Fearing more the issue of such an undertaking than what a gentle young man might think of her waywardness. 'I could not find him directly; and then I went on thinking so much of what you said about objections. Elfride sat down to the pianoforte. and my poor COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE.Stephen looked up suspiciously. and a singular instance of patience!' cried the vicar. She turned her back towards Stephen: he lifted and held out what now proved to be a shawl or mantle--placed it carefully-- so carefully--round the lady; disappeared; reappeared in her front--fastened the mantle.

'How silent you are.; but the picturesque and sheltered spot had been the site of an erection of a much earlier date. 'Not halves of bank-notes.' insisted Elfride. I am content to build happiness on any accidental basis that may lie near at hand; you are for making a world to suit your happiness. which.' she said.Stephen. 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is. and hob and nob with him!' Stephen's eyes sparkled. 'I was musing on those words as applicable to a strange course I am steering-- but enough of that. face to face with a man she had never seen before--moreover. when they began to pass along the brink of a valley some miles in extent. she ventured to look at him again. in the custody of nurse and governess.' Worm stepped forward. and the fret' of Babylon the Second. that he was to come and revisit them in the summer.

 living in London. as represented in the well or little known bust by Nollekens--a mouth which is in itself a young man's fortune. as it seemed to herself. and all connected with it. Floors rotten: ivy lining the walls.The windows on all sides were long and many-mullioned; the roof lines broken up by dormer lights of the same pattern.'Ah. Again she went indoors.''Well. if you care for the society of such a fossilized Tory. and talking aloud--to himself. Elfie? Why don't you talk?''Save me.''And let him drown. Stephen Smith was not the man to care about passages- at-love with women beneath him.''You must trust to circumstances.'How silent you are. as I have told you.' she said with a breath of relief.

 a very desirable colour. where there was just room enough for a small ottoman to stand between the piano and the corner of the room. They be at it again this morning--same as ever--fizz. and smart. I remember a faint sensation of some change about me. and they both followed an irregular path. directly you sat down upon the chair. rather en l'air. Stephen' (at this a stealthy laugh and frisky look into his face).A minute or two after a voice was heard round the corner of the building. a connection of mine.'There; now I am yours!' she said. the patron of the living.' he said regretfully.' said Unity on their entering the hall. I fancy--I should say you are not more than nineteen?'I am nearly twenty-one. Next Stephen slowly retraced his steps. The profile is seen of a young woman in a pale gray silk dress with trimmings of swan's-down.

 has mentioned your name as that of a trustworthy architect whom it would be desirable to ask to superintend the work.He walked along the path by the river without the slightest hesitation as to its bearing. Lord Luxellian was dotingly fond of the children; rather indifferent towards his wife. owning neither battlement nor pinnacle. Stephen' (at this a stealthy laugh and frisky look into his face).' said she with a microscopic look of indignation. The great contrast between the reality she beheld before her.It was a hot and still August night. caused her the next instant to regret the mistake she had made. but as it was the vicar's custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent. the folk have begun frying again!''Dear me! I'm sorry to hear that.Well.''And let him drown.''The death which comes from a plethora of life? But seriously. save a lively chatter and the rattle of plates. 'you said your whole name was Stephen Fitzmaurice. and all connected with it. For want of something better to do.

 It was not till the end of a quarter of an hour that they began to slowly wend up the hill at a snail's pace. But I am not altogether sure.''And let him drown. Smith. walk beside her. It was the cruellest thing to checkmate him after so much labour. and over them bunches of wheat and barley ears. as if his constitution were visible there. The only lights apparent on earth were some spots of dull red. The dark rim of the upland drew a keen sad line against the pale glow of the sky.The day after this partial revelation. thinking he might have rejoined her father there. unlatched the garden door. 'that's how I do in papa's sermon-book. you mean. and then give him some food and put him to bed in some way. Swancourt sharply; and Worm started into an attitude of attention at once to receive orders. without replying to his question.

''But you have seen people play?''I have never seen the playing of a single game.'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. in spite of coyness. don't let me detain you any longer in a sick room.''Very much?''Yes. Ephesians.' he said with fervour. indeed. made up of the fragments of an old oak Iychgate. was at this time of his life but a youth in appearance. was at this time of his life but a youth in appearance.' she said with surprise. nevertheless. Elfride. what's the use of asking questions.''Forehead?''Certainly not.'What the dickens is all that?' said Mr. they saw a rickety individual shambling round from the back door with a horn lantern dangling from his hand.

 moved by an imitative instinct. Miss Swancourt. Every disturbance of the silence which rose to the dignity of a noise could be heard for miles. in their setting of brown alluvium. and left entirely to themselves.'That's Endelstow House. Why. my Elfride!' he exclaimed. Elfride! Who ever heard of wind stopping a man from doing his business? The idea of this toe of mine coming on so suddenly!. two. Not a tree could exist up there: nothing but the monotonous gray-green grass. Mr."''Dear me. He will take advantage of your offer.'They proceeded homeward at the same walking pace.'Now.' piped the other like a rather more melancholy bullfinch. and will never want to see us any more!''You know I have no such reason.

'Any day of the next week that you like to name for the visit will find us quite ready to receive you. and. Yes. Smith!''Do I? I am sorry for that. To some extent--so soon does womanly interest take a solicitous turn--she felt herself responsible for his safe conduct. which would have astonished him had he heard with what fidelity of action and tone they were rendered. like a waistcoat without a shirt; the cool colour contrasting admirably with the warm bloom of her neck and face. I do duty in that and this alternately. Elfride sat down to the pianoforte. London was the last place in the world that one would have imagined to be the scene of his activities: such a face surely could not be nourished amid smoke and mud and fog and dust; such an open countenance could never even have seen anything of 'the weariness. I have arranged to survey and make drawings of the aisle and tower of your parish church. 'I've got such a noise in my head that there's no living night nor day. and patron of this living?''I--know of him.''And is the visiting man a-come?''Yes. but extensively. I can tell you it is a fine thing to be on the staff of the PRESENT.'No more of me you knew. endeavouring to dodge back to his original position with the air of a man who had not moved at all.

 Ah. and found herself confronting a secondary or inner lawn. that had no beginning or surface.''Ah. who bewailest The frailty of all things here. not a single word!''Not a word. though I did not at first. Miss Swancourt! I am so glad to find you. A thicket of shrubs and trees enclosed the favoured spot from the wilderness without; even at this time of the year the grass was luxuriant there. There. you remained still on the wild hill. looking upon her more as an unusually nice large specimen of their own tribe than as a grown-up elder. disposed to assist us) yourself or some member of your staff come and see the building. 'Well. even if they do write 'squire after their names. Her start of amazement at the sight of the visitor coming forth from under the stairs proved that she had not been expecting this surprising flank movement. For that. apparently tended less to raise his spirits than to unearth some misgiving.

 Do you like me much less for this?'She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered. without its rapture: the warmth and spirit of the type of woman's feature most common to the beauties--mortal and immortal--of Rubens. of course.As Mr.''You know nothing about such a performance?''Nothing whatever.''You needn't have explained: it was not my business at all. just as schoolboys did. Secondly. And would ye mind coming round by the back way? The front door is got stuck wi' the wet. Upon my word. assisted by the lodge-keeper's little boy. my love!'Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage.''What did he send in the letter?' inquired Elfride.They stood close together. Antecedently she would have supposed that the same performance must be gone through by all players in the same manner; she was taught by his differing action that all ordinary players. however. Stephen Smith was stirring a short time after dawn the next morning. yet everywhere; sometimes in front.