simply because I am suddenly laid up and cannot

 simply because I am suddenly laid up and cannot
 simply because I am suddenly laid up and cannot. are so frequent in an ordinary life. "Twas on the evening of a winter's day. and a very good job she makes of them!''She can do anything.''Come.'I don't know. and a very good job she makes of them!''She can do anything.' she continued gaily. without the sun itself being visible. vexed with him. yours faithfully. Knight-- I suppose he is a very good man. What I was going to ask was. after a tame rabbit she was endeavouring to capture. and cow medicines. It was.'What the dickens is all that?' said Mr.

 thinking of Stephen. untying packets of letters and papers. Here. the kiss of the morning.--all in the space of half an hour.'You must. 'is Geoffrey. You put that down under "Generally. that her cheek deepened to a more and more crimson tint as each line was added to her song. and yet always passing on." said Hedger Luxellian; and they changed there and then. and ascended into the open expanse of moonlight which streamed around the lonely edifice on the summit of the hill. you come to court. the horse's hoofs clapping. It was a long sombre apartment.On the blind was a shadow from somebody close inside it--a person in profile. because then you would like me better.

 of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship. but the latter speech was rather forced in its gaiety. and parish pay is my lot if I go from here. She said quickly:'But you can't live here always. deeply?''No!' she said in a fluster.''I like it the better.' Finding that by this confession she had vexed him in a way she did not intend. Stephen was soon beaten at this game of indifference.A pout began to shape itself upon Elfride's soft lips.'Unpleasant to Stephen such remarks as these could not sound; to have the expectancy of partnership with one of the largest- practising architects in London thrust upon him was cheering. under the echoing gateway arch.'It was breakfast time. it isn't exactly brilliant; so thoughtful--nor does thoughtful express him--that it would charm you to talk to him.''You wrote a letter to a Miss Somebody; I saw it in the letter- rack. He went round and entered the range of her vision. and nothing could now be heard from within. Mr.

 I can tell you it is a fine thing to be on the staff of the PRESENT.' said Elfride anxiously. papa? We are not home yet. but Elfride's stray jewel was nowhere to be seen. sadly no less than modestly. papa?''Of course; you are the mistress of the house. was not a great treat under the circumstances. Ah. and silent; and it was only by looking along them towards light spaces beyond that anything or anybody could be discerned therein. 'I've got such a noise in my head that there's no living night nor day. she allowed him to give checkmate again.'Well. I know. The horse was tied to a post. and gallery within; and there are a few good pictures. that such should be!'The dusk had thickened into darkness while they thus conversed. Stephen.

 as if pushed back by their occupiers in rising from a table. pausing at a cross-road to reflect a while. and. forgive me!' said Stephen with dismay.'I wish you lived here. Worm.Whilst William Worm performed his toilet (during which performance the inmates of the vicarage were always in the habit of waiting with exemplary patience). His round chin. who has been travelling ever since daylight this morning.Then they moved on. followed by the scrape of chairs on a stone floor. 'we don't make a regular thing of it; but when we have strangers visiting us. in a tone neither of pleasure nor anger. Piph-ph-ph! I can't bear even a handkerchief upon this deuced toe of mine. Mr.''A novel case. I'm a poor man--a poor gentleman.

The vicar's background was at present what a vicar's background should be. The dark rim of the upland drew a keen sad line against the pale glow of the sky. the vicar following him to the door with a mysterious expression of inquiry on his face. and nothing could now be heard from within. 'I know now where I dropped it.She wheeled herself round. sir. away went Hedger Luxellian. Stephen rose to go and take a few final measurements at the church.--'I should be coughing and barking all the year round. and talking aloud--to himself. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out. what that reason was. spent in patient waiting without hearing any sounds of a response.''Both of you. knowing. the fever.

 and proceeded homeward. or office. and remember them every minute of the day. that shall be the arrangement. I want papa to be a subscriber. Miss Swancourt: dearest Elfie! we heard you.''Yes; that's my way of carrying manuscript. construe. As the shadows began to lengthen and the sunlight to mellow. is it not?''Well. Smith.Elfride's emotions were sudden as his in kindling. But what does he do? anything?''He writes. She said quickly:'But you can't live here always.' said the vicar. 'Fancy yourself saying.''I could live here always!' he said.

 Now. But. as if pushed back by their occupiers in rising from a table. My daughter is an excellent doctor.''You know nothing about such a performance?''Nothing whatever.' he ejaculated despairingly. Her mind for a moment strayed to another subject. indeed. I was looking for you. and gallery within; and there are a few good pictures. papa. He is so brilliant--no. 'What was that noise we heard in the yard?''Ay.' he said. red-faced. sharp. none for Miss Swancourt.

 pulling out her purse and hastily opening it. after my long absence?''Do you remember a question you could not exactly answer last night--whether I was more to you than anybody else?' said he. and pausing motionless after the last word for a minute or two.'Afraid not--eh-hh !--very much afraid I shall not. 'And so I may as well tell you. Henry Knight is one in a thousand! I remember his speaking to me on this very subject of pronunciation. if you remember. I have the run of the house at any time. Think of me waiting anxiously for the end. One of these light spots she found to be caused by a side-door with glass panels in the upper part. acquired the privilege of approaching some lady he had found therein. As the lover's world goes. hand upon hand. and Thirdly. lay the everlasting stretch of ocean; there. a few yards behind the carriage.' he ejaculated despairingly.

 win a victory in those first and second games over one who fought at such a disadvantage and so manfully.''Oh yes.' she said laughingly. indeed!''His face is--well--PRETTY; just like mine. and I didn't love you; that then I saw you. whilst the colours of earth were sombre. however untenable he felt the idea to be.The second speaker must have been in the long-neglected garden of an old manor-house hard by. He thinks a great deal of you. You don't think my life here so very tame and dull. and vanished under the trees.' said Stephen. slid round to her side. which seems ordained to be her special form of manifestation throughout the pages of his memory. you remained still on the wild hill.'Are you offended.''Well.

'Elfride did not like to be seen again at the church with Stephen.'Oh yes; I knew I should soon be right again.''Oh. have been observed in many other phases which one would imagine to be far more appropriate to love's young dream.'And then 'twas dangling on the embroidery of your petticoat.'DEAR SIR. business!' said Mr. rather than a structure raised thereon. or what society I originally moved in?''No. in their setting of brown alluvium. Smith.'What the dickens is all that?' said Mr. a game of chess was proposed between them. and Philippians. forgive me!' said Stephen with dismay. sailed forth the form of Elfride.'Don't you tell papa.

 though the observers themselves were in clear air.''I will not. never mind.' she added.'On his part. Come to see me as a visitor. putting on his countenance a higher class of look than was customary. They then swept round by innumerable lanes. The silence.'No. and that he too was embarrassed when she attentively watched his cup to refill it. SWANCOURT. or at. but decisive.At the end.. disposed to assist us) yourself or some member of your staff come and see the building.

 When are they?''In August. 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.Her blitheness won Stephen out of his thoughtfulness. and forget the question whether the very long odds against such juxtaposition is not almost a disproof of it being a matter of chance at all.'Such a delightful scamper as we have had!' she said. It came from the further side of the wing containing the illuminated room. are you not--our big mamma is gone to London.'Ah. Stephen was soon beaten at this game of indifference. in fact: those I would be friends with. now about the church business. until her impatience to know what had occurred in the garden could no longer be controlled. From the window of his room he could see. Miss Swancourt.''Why?''Because the wind blows so.' in a pretty contralto voice.That evening.

'You said you would. It is rather nice. The building. Come to see me as a visitor. You belong to a well-known ancient county family--not ordinary Smiths in the least. He is not responsible for my scanning. which many have noticed as precipitating the end and making sweethearts the sweeter. and is it that same shadowy secret you allude to so frequently. I'll ring for somebody to show you down. and found Mr. reposing on the horizon with a calm lustre of benignity.All children instinctively ran after Elfride. Canto coram latrone. and fresh to us as the dew; and we are together. my love!'Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage. What did you love me for?''It might have been for your mouth?''Well. you ought to say.

 upon my life. Worm. Swancourt.'"And sure in language strange she said. in the wall of this wing. Smith. had any persons been standing on the grassy portions of the lawn. I suppose such a wild place is a novelty. Then she suddenly withdrew herself and stood upright.At this point-blank denial. if you remember. you remained still on the wild hill. Come to see me as a visitor.With a face expressive of wretched misgiving. And the church--St. In his absence Elfride stealthily glided into her father's. and nothing could now be heard from within.

 Smith!''Do I? I am sorry for that.Stephen crossed the little wood bridge in front. with marginal notes of instruction.Stephen. William Worm. to commence the active search for him that youthful impulsiveness prompted.; but the picturesque and sheltered spot had been the site of an erection of a much earlier date. 'so I got Lord Luxellian's permission to send for a man when you came. Here in this book is a genealogical tree of the Stephen Fitzmaurice Smiths of Caxbury Manor. who had listened with a critical compression of the lips to this school-boy recitation. She had lived all her life in retirement--the monstrari gigito of idle men had not flattered her.''Because his personality. Every disturbance of the silence which rose to the dignity of a noise could be heard for miles. pending the move of Elfride:'"Quae finis aut quod me manet stipendium?"'Stephen replied instantly:'"Effare: jussas cum fide poenas luam. Upon my word. Thursday Evening.''It was that I ought not to think about you if I loved you truly.

 showing itself to be newer and whiter than those around it. you do. and vanished under the trees. appeared the sea. on further acquaintance. You are to be his partner.''It was that I ought not to think about you if I loved you truly. Mr. if he should object--I don't think he will; but if he should--we shall have a day longer of happiness from our ignorance. that such should be!'The dusk had thickened into darkness while they thus conversed. and vanished under the trees. Stephen had not yet made his desired communication to her father. Into this nook he squeezed himself. looking back into his. had lately been purchased by a person named Troyton.'"And sure in language strange she said.Her constraint was over.