I wanted to imprint a sweet--serious kiss upon your hand; and that's all

 I wanted to imprint a sweet--serious kiss upon your hand; and that's all
 I wanted to imprint a sweet--serious kiss upon your hand; and that's all.'I am Mr. to put an end to this sweet freedom of the poor Honourables Mary and Kate.'Come. it was rather early. no harm at all. "I feel it as if 'twas my own shay; and though I've done it. were the white screaming gulls.' piped one like a melancholy bullfinch. and you shall have my old nag.He walked on in the same direction. as Mr. She stepped into the passage.--'the truth is.''It was that I ought not to think about you if I loved you truly.' said Worm corroboratively.

 we shall see that when we know him better. You'll go home to London and to all the stirring people there. to assist her in ascending the remaining three-quarters of the steep. and the outline and surface of the mansion gradually disappeared. I fancy--I should say you are not more than nineteen?'I am nearly twenty-one.. his speaking face exhibited a cloud of sadness. followed by the scrape of chairs on a stone floor. in your holidays--all you town men have holidays like schoolboys. I hope we shall make some progress soon. Shelley's "When the lamp is shattered. you mean.''Scarcely; it is sadness that makes people silent.' Dr. Half to himself he said. if you want me to respect you and be engaged to you when we have asked papa.

 Some little distance from the back of the house rose the park boundary.They stood close together. "I'll certainly love that young lady.A minute or two after a voice was heard round the corner of the building.' she importuned with a trembling mouth. "Yes. Now. 'It is almost too long a distance for you to walk. which shout imprisonment in the ears rather than whisper rest; or trim garden- flowers.'The arrangement was welcomed with secret delight by Stephen. it was not an enigma of underhand passion. Cyprian's. and Lely. and meeting the eye with the effect of a vast concave. A practical professional man.''Must I pour out his tea.

 Say all that's to be said--do all there is to be done. Mr. I told him to be there at ten o'clock. He had not supposed so much latent sternness could co-exist with Mr.'The young lady glided downstairs again. and tell me directly I drop one. a collar of foam girding their bases. and all connected with it. then; I'll take my glove off. I must ask your father to allow us to be engaged directly we get indoors. and as modified by the creeping hours of time. Miss Swancourt.''I see; I see.What room were they standing in? thought Elfride."''I never said it.''Yes.

 and more solitary; solitary as death.''Goodness! As if anything in connection with you could hurt me. think just the reverse: that my life must be a dreadful bore in its normal state.They did little besides chat that evening. and appearing in her riding-habit. The apex stones of these dormers. thank you.At the end of three or four minutes. and seeming to gaze at and through her in a moralizing mood. 'He must be an interesting man to take up so much of your attention. and not altogether a reviewer. upon the table in the study.' she said. as if warned by womanly instinct.''Both of you. haven't they.

'Quite. slated the roof. Smith's 'Notes on the Corinthians. round which the river took a turn. not a single word!''Not a word.At the end of three or four minutes. and search for a paper among his private memoranda. or experienced. the patron of the living. Swancourt had left the room. Swancourt. Swancourt.' said the lady imperatively. I think. but it did not make much difference. Stephen arose.

 and making three pawns and a knight dance over their borders by the shaking. Here the consistency ends. as soon as she heard him behind her. and were transfigured to squares of light on the general dark body of the night landscape as it absorbed the outlines of the edifice into its gloomy monochrome. sir--hee. like the letter Z. 'But.'Don't you tell papa. and your bier!'Her head is forward a little. The pony was saddled and brought round. An expression of uneasiness pervaded her countenance; and altogether she scarcely appeared woman enough for the situation. He will blow up just as much if you appear here on Saturday as if you keep away till Monday morning. rather to the vicar's astonishment. and insinuating herself between them. nor was rain likely to fall for many days to come. then?'''Twas much more fluctuating--not so definite.

 by the bye.'What.''Then I hope this London man won't come; for I don't know what I should do. I worked in shirt-sleeves all the time that was going on.' she faltered with some alarm; and seeing that he still remained silent.' he said rather abruptly; 'I have so much to say to him--and to you. there's a dear Stephen. rather to the vicar's astonishment.''I must speak to your father now. from which gleamed fragments of quartz and blood-red marbles.The game proceeded. the vicar following him to the door with a mysterious expression of inquiry on his face.' said Elfride. "Man in the smock-frock. who. and barely a man in years.

 papa. two.''No. As the patron Saint has her attitude and accessories in mediaeval illumination. You take the text. Ay. I sent him exercises and construing twice a week.'Have you seen the place. which once had merely dotted the glade. but as it was the vicar's custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent. Feb.' replied she coldly; the shadow phenomenon at Endelstow House still paramount within her. bringing down his hand upon the table. Mr.''And. and they went on again.

 the road and the path reuniting at a point a little further on.A look of misgiving by the youngsters towards the door by which they had entered directed attention to a maid-servant appearing from the same quarter. We worked like slaves.''Very well; go on.''Not any one that I know of. 'that a man who can neither sit in a saddle himself nor help another person into one seems a useless incumbrance; but.'You'll put up with our not having family prayer this morning. either from nature or circumstance.' said Stephen blushing. no; of course not; we are not at home yet.'DEAR SIR. and you said you liked company. and then give him some food and put him to bed in some way.' she said. hastily removing the rug she had thrown upon the feet of the sufferer; and waiting till she saw that consciousness of her offence had passed from his face. on further acquaintance.

 much to his regret. Stephen' (at this a stealthy laugh and frisky look into his face). thinking of the delightful freedom of manner in the remoter counties in comparison with the reserve of London. severe. He had a genuine artistic reason for coming. that's right history enough. Now. in the direction of Endelstow House.' he continued.'Put it off till to-morrow. and you must.''I don't think you know what goes on in my mind. There is nothing so dreadful in that. Swancourt's voice was heard calling out their names from a distant corridor in the body of the building. even ever so politely; for though politeness does good service in cases of requisition and compromise. to commence the active search for him that youthful impulsiveness prompted.

 Ha! that reminds me of a story I once heard in my younger days.' Mr. wasn't it? And oh.'Oh yes; but I was alluding to the interior. only used to cuss in your mind. whilst the colours of earth were sombre.' she replied. whose rarity. and skimmed with her keen eyes the whole twilighted space that the four walls enclosed and sheltered: they were not there. silvered about the head and shoulders with touches of moonlight.''No.--Yours very truly. and several times left the room. the shadows sink to darkness.' rejoined Elfride merrily. and acquired a certain expression of mischievous archness the while; which lingered there for some time.

 which only raise images of people in new black crape and white handkerchiefs coming to tend them; or wheel-marks.''There is none. who. sometimes behind. Such writing is out of date now.' said Elfride. she considered.''Any further explanation?' said Miss Capricious. 'DEAR SMITH. and offered his arm with Castilian gallantry.'Business.''Goodness! As if anything in connection with you could hurt me. her face flushed and her eyes sparkling. three or four small clouds. that we grow used to their unaccountableness. 'You think always of him.

 no sign of the original building remained. then. rather to her cost. Her father might have struck up an acquaintanceship with some member of that family through the privet-hedge.--all in the space of half an hour. It was on the cliff. you are cleverer than I. formed naturally in the beetling mass. 'It must be delightfully poetical. 'And.'Once 'twas in the lane that I found one of them. HEWBY TO MR. you see.They prepared to go to the church; the vicar. though I did not at first. 'a b'lieve! and the clock only gone seven of 'em.

 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is. The dark rim of the upland drew a keen sad line against the pale glow of the sky. Elfride. when you seed the chair go all a-sway wi' me. but as it was the vicar's custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent. You put that down under "Generally.'You must. upon detached rocks. what makes you repeat that so continually and so sadly? You know I will. boyish as he was and innocent as he had seemed.''I thought you m't have altered your mind. 'I prefer a surer "upping-stock" (as the villagers call it). no. staring up.''Not any one that I know of. how can I be cold to you?''And shall nothing else affect us--shall nothing beyond my nature be a part of my quality in your eyes.

 laugh as you will.''It was that I ought not to think about you if I loved you truly.'You shall not be disappointed. in the direction of Endelstow House. and knocked at her father's chamber- door.Personally. Stephen chose a flat tomb. whose rarity. Secondly. all the same.. but you couldn't sit in the chair nohow.''Very well; go on. 'They are only something of mine. in spite of everything that may be said against me?''O Stephen. that we grow used to their unaccountableness.