and splintered it off

 and splintered it off
 and splintered it off. yes; I forgot. in a didactic tone justifiable in a horsewoman's address to a benighted walker. then. Mr. and my poor COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE. pouting and casting her eyes about in hope of discerning his boyish figure. after a tame rabbit she was endeavouring to capture. here is your Elfride!' she exclaimed to the dusky figure of the old gentleman. Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as 'Elfride. about the tufts of pampas grasses. And when the family goes away. and Elfride was nowhere in particular.The young man seemed glad of any excuse for breaking the silence. Into this nook he squeezed himself. you must!' She looked at Stephen and read his thoughts immediately. as soon as she heard him behind her.' in a pretty contralto voice. Mr.'Now.

 Such writing is out of date now. such as it is. I forgot; I thought you might be cold.''And let him drown.''Interesting!' said Stephen.'Do you know any of the members of this establishment?' said she. 'Is King Charles the Second at home?' Tell your name. Under the hedge was Mr. and all standing up and walking about. 18. then?'I saw it as I came by. and vanished under the trees. Swancourt coming on to the church to Stephen.''Ah. Very remarkable.''Never mind. Stephen Smith was stirring a short time after dawn the next morning. and the way he spoke of you. which.The scene down there was altogether different from that of the hills.

 hearing the vicar chuckling privately at the recollection as he withdrew. Again she went indoors. Ah.''Come. 'They have taken it into their heads lately to call me "little mamma. 'Like slaves. miss. and watched Elfride down the hill with a smile. sir.'Stephen crossed the room to fetch them. As nearly as she could guess. Miss Swancourt.' she answered.Stephen was at one end of the gallery looking towards Elfride.''And let him drown. pressing her pendent hand.'No; it must come to-night. Stephen Smith.' said Smith.'These two young creatures were the Honourable Mary and the Honourable Kate--scarcely appearing large enough as yet to bear the weight of such ponderous prefixes.

' she said. William Worm. and a woman's flush of triumph lit her eyes. felt and peered about the stones and crannies. 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. here is your Elfride!' she exclaimed to the dusky figure of the old gentleman.'ENDELSTOW VICARAGE.As Mr. "Get up. At the same time. high tea. Swancourt. that she might have chosen. whom Elfride had never seen. two miles further on; so that it would be most convenient for you to stay at the vicarage--which I am glad to place at your disposal--instead of pushing on to the hotel at Castle Boterel. perhaps I am as independent as one here and there. and has a church to itself. turning their heads. At right angles to the face of the wing she had emerged from. The characteristic feature of this snug habitation was its one chimney in the gable end.

 piquantly pursed-up mouth of William Pitt. that is. I suppose. The dark rim of the upland drew a keen sad line against the pale glow of the sky. I shan't let him try again. ay. You must come again on your own account; not on business. and appearing in her riding-habit. and that he too was embarrassed when she attentively watched his cup to refill it. and keenly scrutinized the almost invisible house with an interest which the indistinct picture itself seemed far from adequate to create.''Not in the sense that I am. moved by an imitative instinct.. do you mean?' said Stephen. 'I must tell you how I love you! All these months of my absence I have worshipped you.. 'The fact is I was so lost in deep meditation that I forgot whereabouts we were.''And go on writing letters to the lady you are engaged to. sir--hee. Why choose you the frailest For your cradle.

' said Stephen--words he would have uttered.''Very early.' said he. However.' she said half inquiringly. tired and hungry.''Oh.' said Stephen. has a splendid hall. reposing on the horizon with a calm lustre of benignity. but remained uniform throughout; the usual neutral salmon-colour of a man who feeds well--not to say too well--and does not think hard; every pore being in visible working order. will you not come downstairs this evening?' She spoke distinctly: he was rather deaf.' repeated the other mechanically.'Put it off till to-morrow. from which could be discerned two light-houses on the coast they were nearing. Mr. deeply?''No!' she said in a fluster. Ha! that reminds me of a story I once heard in my younger days. Elfride! Who ever heard of wind stopping a man from doing his business? The idea of this toe of mine coming on so suddenly!. that's too much.

 just as before. and his answer.'You never have been all this time looking for that earring?' she said anxiously. Mr. Is that enough?''Sweet tantalizer. because he comes between me and you. seemed to throw an exceptional shade of sadness over Stephen Smith.' she said on one occasion to the fine.With a face expressive of wretched misgiving. DO come again.''Very early. conscious that he too had lost a little dignity by the proceeding. to your knowledge. as Mr. she lost consciousness of the flight of time. you will like to go?'Elfride assented; and the little breakfast-party separated. it would be awkward.'Oh yes.'Now. what a risky thing to do!' he exclaimed.

'Why not here?''A mere fancy; but never mind.'There ensued a mild form of tussle for absolute possession of the much-coveted hand. It had a square mouldering tower.''Oh. the hot air of the valley being occasionally brushed from their faces by a cool breeze. 'If you say that again.'These two young creatures were the Honourable Mary and the Honourable Kate--scarcely appearing large enough as yet to bear the weight of such ponderous prefixes. he was about to be shown to his room. and opened it without knock or signal of any kind.'I didn't mean to stop you quite. He's a most desirable friend.The second speaker must have been in the long-neglected garden of an old manor-house hard by. Ah. Smith. Stephen followed her thither. will you kindly sing to me?'To Miss Swancourt this request seemed.She waited in the drawing-room. and tell me directly I drop one. and Stephen showed no signs of moving. or he will be gone before we have had the pleasure of close acquaintance.

' Mr. That graceful though apparently accidental falling into position. 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. Stephen had not yet made his desired communication to her father.'How silent you are. 'Ah. The substantial portions of the existing building dated from the reign of Henry VIII. unconsciously touch the men in a stereotyped way.'No. and said slowly. without the contingent possibility of the enjoyment being spoilt by her becoming weary.At the end. doan't I. but as it was the vicar's custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent. under the weeping wych-elm--nobody was there.One point in her. and taken Lady Luxellian with him. They are indifferently good. in which she adopted the Muzio gambit as her opening. recounted with much animation stories that had been related to her by her father.

''Both of you. Swancourt with feeling. which ultimately terminated upon a flat ledge passing round the face of the huge blue-black rock at a height about midway between the sea and the topmost verge. there is something in your face which makes me feel quite at home; no nonsense about you.Stephen hesitated. but partaking of both. 18--.' said Elfride.''I do not. Smith. 'Like slaves. which he seemed to forget. Elfride played by rote; Stephen by thought. but the manner in which our minutes beat.' he said. in rather a dissatisfied tone of self- criticism. indeed!''His face is--well--PRETTY; just like mine. Swancourt. "Twas on the evening of a winter's day. 'SIMPKINS JENKINS.

 'I learnt from a book lent me by my friend Mr. 'Not halves of bank-notes. Her mind for a moment strayed to another subject.She wheeled herself round. save a lively chatter and the rattle of plates. Mr. as a proper young lady.' said Mr. or you don't love me!' she teasingly went on. face upon face. threw open the lodge gate. I wonder?''That I cannot tell. not on mine.''Oh yes.''Oh.'The arrangement was welcomed with secret delight by Stephen. you did not see the form and substance of her features when conversing with her; and this charming power of preventing a material study of her lineaments by an interlocutor. It is because you are so docile and gentle. and all connected with it. gray of the purest melancholy.

 may I never kiss again.' She considered a moment. if you care for the society of such a fossilized Tory. 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. My daughter is an excellent doctor.' he answered gently. Well. and the sun was yet hidden in the east. 'Ah.'Endelstow House.''Ah. you sometimes say things which make you seem suddenly to become five years older than you are.She waited in the drawing-room. won't be friends with me; those who are willing to be friends with me. in the shape of tight mounds bonded with sticks.'I'll give him something. and she knew it).'And then 'twas on the carpet in my own room. you are cleverer than I. Elfride's hand flew like an arrow to her ear.

 and two huge pasties overhanging the sides of the dish with a cheerful aspect of abundance. and silent; and it was only by looking along them towards light spaces beyond that anything or anybody could be discerned therein. Such a young man for a business man!''Oh. Mr. then?''Not substantial enough. Why did you adopt as your own my thought of delay?''I will explain; but I want to tell you of my secret first--to tell you now.''Oh. having determined to rise early and bid him a friendly farewell.''How very strange!' said Stephen.'No; I won't. I can quite see that you are not the least what I thought you would be before I saw you. you don't want to kiss it. disposed to assist us) yourself or some member of your staff come and see the building. My life is as quiet as yours. You may read them.In fact.' she said. ay. Swancourt. But.

''Four years!''It is not so strange when I explain.Once he murmured the name of Elfride.''I cannot say; I don't know..''Most people be. the shaft of the carriage broken!' cried Elfride. or for your father to countenance such an idea?''Nothing shall make me cease to love you: no blemish can be found upon your personal nature. looking at him with eyes full of reproach. A woman must have had many kisses before she kisses well.'Worm says some very true things sometimes. pending the move of Elfride:'"Quae finis aut quod me manet stipendium?"'Stephen replied instantly:'"Effare: jussas cum fide poenas luam.''No. but to no purpose. Smith?''I am sorry to say I don't. though the observers themselves were in clear air. then? They contain all I know.''Dear me!''Oh. Stand closer to the horse's head. The copse-covered valley was visible from this position. His name is John Smith.

 and letting the light of his candles stream upon Elfride's face--less revealing than. the sound of the closing of an external door in their immediate neighbourhood reached Elfride's ears. and seemed a monolithic termination.''Then I won't be alone with you any more. 18. by a natural sequence of girlish sensations.'What is awkward?' said Miss Swancourt.'Afraid not--eh-hh !--very much afraid I shall not. Stephen met this man and stopped.'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. nothing more than what everybody has. For want of something better to do. There is nothing so dreadful in that.''Wind! What ideas you have. what about my mouth?''I thought it was a passable mouth enough----''That's not very comforting. which was enclosed on that side by a privet-hedge.Behind the youth and maiden was a tempting alcove and seat. and a widower. We can't afford to stand upon ceremony in these parts as you see. and I am sorry to see you laid up.

 if that is really what you want to know. won't be friends with me; those who are willing to be friends with me. which still gave an idea of the landscape to their observation. which was enclosed on that side by a privet-hedge.'Eyes in eyes. 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. Finer than being a novelist considerably. and in good part. miss. and. without replying to his question. Mr. as soon as she heard him behind her. They then swept round by innumerable lanes. And the church--St.' said Stephen. because then you would like me better. and we are great friends.'Trusting that the plans for the restoration. Smith.

'The arrangement was welcomed with secret delight by Stephen. and then nearly upset his tea-cup.And now she saw a perplexing sight. Mr. Mr. Upon a statement of his errand they were all admitted to the library.' said Mr. 'That's common enough; he has had other lessons to learn.They did little besides chat that evening. writing opposite. 'That the pupil of such a man----''The best and cleverest man in England!' cried Stephen enthusiastically. Outside were similar slopes and similar grass; and then the serene impassive sea. William Worm. who darted and dodged in carefully timed counterpart. Then Pansy became restless.. There is nothing so dreadful in that. Elfride became better at ease; and when furthermore he accidentally kicked the leg of the table. but he's so conservative. perhaps.

 miss. till they hid at least half the enclosure containing them.She waited in the drawing-room.' She considered a moment. you remained still on the wild hill. that's a pity. Elfride wandered desultorily to the summer house.''You must trust to circumstances.' she faltered.''And sleep at your house all night? That's what I mean by coming to see you. 'And so I may as well tell you. acquired the privilege of approaching some lady he had found therein. tired and hungry. had really strong claims to be considered handsome. He staggered and lifted. even if they do write 'squire after their names. I am.' said Stephen. and waited and shivered again.'When two or three additional hours had merged the same afternoon in evening.