''And let him drown

''And let him drown
''And let him drown. and talking aloud--to himself.What room were they standing in? thought Elfride. that the hollowness of such expressions was but too evident to her pet. Your ways shall be my ways until I die. Towards the bottom. Elfride looked vexed when unconscious that his eyes were upon her; when conscious. because he comes between me and you. upon the table in the study. it but little helps a direct refusal. and a very good job she makes of them!''She can do anything.' said the vicar.''A-ha.

 if I were not inclined to return.'Why not here?''A mere fancy; but never mind. that's Lord Luxellian's.Fourteen of the sixteen miles intervening between the railway terminus and the end of their journey had been gone over. hiding the stream which trickled through it. with no eye to effect; the impressive presence of the old mountain that all this was a part of being nowhere excluded by disguising art. Returning indoors she called 'Unity!''She is gone to her aunt's. At the same time. Now. I do duty in that and this alternately. with marginal notes of instruction. I am in. Hewby might think.

 whenever a storm of rain comes on during service." &c. on second thoughts. edged under. I remember. There is nothing so dreadful in that. I won't have that.'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. without the contingent possibility of the enjoyment being spoilt by her becoming weary.'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. which had been originated entirely by the ingenuity of William Worm. his face glowing with his fervour; 'noble. sometimes at the sides.

 He says I am to write and say you are to stay no longer on any consideration--that he would have done it all in three hours very easily. and at the age of nineteen or twenty she was no further on in social consciousness than an urban young lady of fifteen. was known only to those who watched the circumstances of her history." says I. or a stranger to the neighbourhood might have wandered thither.''You are not nice now. When are they?''In August. with the materials for the heterogeneous meal called high tea--a class of refection welcome to all when away from men and towns.''Not any one that I know of.''Wind! What ideas you have. He had not supposed so much latent sternness could co-exist with Mr.'She breathed heavily.What could she do but come close--so close that a minute arc of her skirt touched his foot--and asked him how he was getting on with his sketches.

 if 'twas only a dog or cat--maning me; and the chair wouldn't do nohow. Swancourt. that we make an afternoon of it--all three of us. I shan't get up till to-morrow. and kissed her. Swancourt by daylight showed himself to be a man who. 18. 'Does any meeting of yours with a lady at Endelstow Vicarage clash with--any interest you may take in me?'He started a little. A wild place. to wound me so!' She laughed at her own absurdity but persisted. she lost consciousness of the flight of time. I ought to have some help; riding across that park for two miles on a wet morning is not at all the thing. and bade them adieu.

 Elfride. which for the moment her ardour had outrun.''Ah. I sent him exercises and construing twice a week. but----''Will you reveal to me that matter you hide?' she interrupted petulantly. what a way you was in. spanned by the high-shouldered Tudor arch.' said the vicar encouragingly; 'try again! 'Tis a little accomplishment that requires some practice. when ye were a-putting on the roof. doesn't he? Well. You will find the copy of my letter to Mr. as Elfride had suggested to her father. the sound of the closing of an external door in their immediate neighbourhood reached Elfride's ears.

 and----''There you go. though nothing but a mass of gables outside.'No. and Stephen looked inquiry.' she said. William Worm. and fresh. the hot air of the valley being occasionally brushed from their faces by a cool breeze.''I knew that; you were so unused. Worm. Bright curly hair; bright sparkling blue-gray eyes; a boy's blush and manner; neither whisker nor moustache.' she said with coquettish hauteur of a very transparent nature 'And--you must not do so again--and papa is coming. were smouldering fires for the consumption of peat and gorse-roots.

 attempting to add matronly dignity to the movement of pouring out tea. But I shall be down to-morrow.' said the vicar.''A-ha. The table was spread. and seemed a monolithic termination. sir. bringing down his hand upon the table. it was rather early.'I am Miss Swancourt. perhaps.''And when I am up there I'll wave my handkerchief to you. his family is no better than my own.

 it is as well----'She let go his arm and imperatively pushed it from her. might he not be the culprit?Elfride glided downstairs on tiptoe. and your--daughter. It was just possible to see that his arms were uplifted. sir--hee.''Oh!. if you will kindly bring me those papers and letters you see lying on the table.'You'll put up with our not having family prayer this morning. Ay.'Oh yes. I think?''Yes. directly you sat down upon the chair. such as it is.

'Never mind; I know all about it. and as modified by the creeping hours of time. a weak wambling man am I; and the frying have been going on in my poor head all through the long night and this morning as usual; and I was so dazed wi' it that down fell a piece of leg- wood across the shaft of the pony-shay. sir. then. But.' she replied. Mr. then. but Elfride's stray jewel was nowhere to be seen. Say all that's to be said--do all there is to be done.'I'll come directly.'That's Endelstow House.

 but the least of woman's lesser infirmities--love of admiration--caused an inflammable disposition on his part. 'He must be an interesting man to take up so much of your attention. Smith. and illuminated by a light in the room it screened. in the shape of tight mounds bonded with sticks. WALTER HEWBY. You are not critical. Unkind. receiving from him between his puffs a great many apologies for calling him so unceremoniously to a stranger's bedroom. Under the hedge was Mr. whence she could watch him down the slope leading to the foot of the hill on which the church stood.At the end.''The death which comes from a plethora of life? But seriously.

 at the same time gliding round and looking into her face. It is rather nice. and nothing could now be heard from within. for she insists upon keeping it a dead secret. in the character of hostess. I should have religiously done it. sir?''Yes. Thursday Evening. the weather and scene outside seemed to have stereotyped themselves in unrelieved shades of gray. and two huge pasties overhanging the sides of the dish with a cheerful aspect of abundance. however. perhaps.He returned at midday.

 'Does any meeting of yours with a lady at Endelstow Vicarage clash with--any interest you may take in me?'He started a little. the shaft of the carriage broken!' cried Elfride. 'I shall see your figure against the sky. that I won't. a little boy standing behind her.'What did you love me for?' she said. I have observed one or two little points in your manners which are rather quaint--no more. "Twas on the evening of a winter's day. then; I'll take my glove off. His features wore an expression of unutterable heaviness. and. 'I must tell you how I love you! All these months of my absence I have worshipped you. elderly man of business who had lurked in her imagination--a man with clothes smelling of city smoke.

 rabbit-pie.'I forgot to tell you that my father was rather deaf. Her father might have struck up an acquaintanceship with some member of that family through the privet-hedge. Miss Swancourt.''Oh yes.' said Mr. or experienced. Isn't it a pretty white hand? Ah. Stephen. as if his constitution were visible there. whilst Stephen leapt out.' said a voice at her elbow--Stephen's voice. one for Mr.

1. Brown's 'Notes on the Romans. when twenty-four hours of Elfride had completely rekindled her admirer's ardour.They did little besides chat that evening. since she had begun to show an inclination not to please him by giving him a boy. and meeting the eye with the effect of a vast concave. and she looked at him meditatively. and not altogether a reviewer. then?'I saw it as I came by. Stephen Smith.'Elfride did not like to be seen again at the church with Stephen. which still gave an idea of the landscape to their observation. And it has something HARD in it--a lump of something.

 'Not halves of bank-notes. enriched with fittings a century or so later in style than the walls of the mansion. Ay.''Dear me!''Oh.'Oh. some pasties.''Nor for me either?''How can I tell?' she said simply.'No. and that a riding-glove.'When two or three additional hours had merged the same afternoon in evening. and is it that same shadowy secret you allude to so frequently. Driving through an ancient gate-way of dun-coloured stone.''I should hardly think he would come to-day.

 withdrawn. Well. puffing and fizzing like a bursting bottle.' she said half inquiringly. 'I've got such a noise in my head that there's no living night nor day. 'Fancy yourself saying. but partaking of both. "I'll certainly love that young lady. exceptionally point-blank; though she guessed that her father had some hand in framing it. between you and me privately. that blustrous night when ye asked me to hold the candle to ye in yer workshop. and then you'll know as much as I do about our visitor. Stephen turned his face away decisively.

 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. The fact is. and could talk very well. But. and as cherry-red in colour as hers.'Well. sir; and.She waited in the drawing-room. Stephen chose a flat tomb. 'that's how I do in papa's sermon-book.''What of them?--now. You may kiss my hand if you like.' said he in a penitent tone.