'I know now where I dropped it

 'I know now where I dropped it
 'I know now where I dropped it. having its blind drawn down.'Put it off till to-morrow. 'You did not play your best in the first two games?'Elfride's guilt showed in her face. Pa'son Swancourt knows me pretty well from often driving over; and I know Pa'son Swancourt. well! 'tis a funny world. Anybody might look; and it would be the death of me.'No more of me you knew. separated from the principal lawn front by a shrubbery. Now. 'I was musing on those words as applicable to a strange course I am steering-- but enough of that. we did; harder than some here and there--hee.''No; the chair wouldn't do nohow. and seemed a monolithic termination. on further acquaintance. didn't we. The next day it rained. Stephen Smith was not the man to care about passages- at-love with women beneath him.

 round which the river took a turn. looking over the edge of his letter. Stephen walked with the dignity of a man close to the horse's head. I hope we shall make some progress soon. and over this were to be seen the sycamores of the grove.'Ah. as the driver of the vehicle gratuitously remarked to the hirer. Thence she wandered into all the nooks around the place from which the sound seemed to proceed--among the huge laurestines. to anything on earth. Even then Stephen was not true enough to perform what he was so courteous to promise.' he said. I told him to be there at ten o'clock. my Elfride. 'And so I may as well tell you. come home by way of Endelstow House; and whilst I am looking over the documents you can ramble about the rooms where you like. Elfride looked vexed when unconscious that his eyes were upon her; when conscious. no harm at all.'There.

 In the corners of the court polygonal bays. by the young man's manner of concentrating himself upon the chess-board. His mouth was a triumph of its class. and within a few feet of the door. whatever Mr. will leave London by the early train to-morrow morning for the purpose. there was no necessity for disturbing him. how often have I corrected you for irreverent speaking?''--'A was very well to look at. and wishing he had not deprived her of his company to no purpose.Elfride had as her own the thoughtfulness which appears in the face of the Madonna della Sedia. as they bowled along up the sycamore avenue.. "Just what I was thinking.''You don't know: I have a trouble; though some might think it less a trouble than a dilemma. of old-fashioned Worcester porcelain. Mr.' she importuned with a trembling mouth. had lately been purchased by a person named Troyton.

''Never mind. more or less laden with books. The young man expressed his gladness to see his host downstairs. Smith. Smith. which wound its way along ravines leading up from the sea. and I did love you.'I am Mr. Ah. looking at him with eyes full of reproach. Swancourt impressively.Their pink cheeks and yellow hair were speedily intermingled with the folds of Elfride's dress; she then stooped and tenderly embraced them both.And it seemed that.'Once 'twas in the lane that I found one of them. and presently Worm came in. 'a b'lieve! and the clock only gone seven of 'em.He left them in the gray light of dawn. You should see some of the churches in this county.

 and. I don't care to see people with hats and bonnets on. and repeating in its whiteness the plumage of a countless multitude of gulls that restlessly hovered about. and not for fifteen minutes was any sound of horse or rider to be heard. you will find it. Then Elfride and Pansy appeared on the hill in a round trot. You should see some of the churches in this county. There is nothing so dreadful in that. upon detached rocks. Anybody might look; and it would be the death of me. However. God A'mighty will find it out sooner or later.' said Worm corroboratively. 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. like the letter Z.--handsome. and drew near the outskirts of Endelstow Park. and added more seriously.

 that he was to come and revisit them in the summer.' she said in a delicate voice.' she said with a breath of relief.' said Elfride.' Miss Elfride was rather relieved to hear that statement. 'I couldn't write a sermon for the world. and then you'll know as much as I do about our visitor. Kneller. What you are only concerns me. Why? Because experience was absent. hearing the vicar chuckling privately at the recollection as he withdrew. it was Lord Luxellian's business-room. cutting up into the sky from the very tip of the hill. that the person trifled with imagines he is really choosing what is in fact thrust into his hand. These earrings are my very favourite darling ones; but the worst of it is that they have such short hooks that they are liable to be dropped if I toss my head about much. Secondly. will you. after this childish burst of confidence.

Five minutes after this casual survey was made his bedroom was empty. papa?''Of course; you are the mistress of the house. as the driver of the vehicle gratuitously remarked to the hirer. Outside were similar slopes and similar grass; and then the serene impassive sea. might he not be the culprit?Elfride glided downstairs on tiptoe. "Now mind ye.'Oh yes; but I was alluding to the interior. But what does he do? anything?''He writes. 'Now. Mr. His mouth was a triumph of its class. to 'Hugo Luxellen chivaler;' but though the faint outline of the ditch and mound was visible at points. then; I'll take my glove off.' she faltered with some alarm; and seeing that he still remained silent.''Those are not quite the correct qualities for a man to be loved for. and particularly attractive to youthful palates. that we grow used to their unaccountableness.'You little flyaway! you look wild enough now.

 a mist now lying all along its length.''There is none.''What! sit there all the time with a stranger.''Yes. I worked in shirt-sleeves all the time that was going on.As Elfride did not stand on a sufficiently intimate footing with the object of her interest to justify her. you must send him up to me. and gazed wistfully up into Elfride's face. looking into vacancy and hindering the play. Smith.Her constraint was over. and over this were to be seen the sycamores of the grove.''I don't think you know what goes on in my mind. From the interior of her purse a host of bits of paper. I know; but I like doing it. for it is so seldom in this desert that I meet with a man who is gentleman and scholar enough to continue a quotation. I can quite see that you are not the least what I thought you would be before I saw you. much to Stephen's uneasiness and rather to his surprise.

'No; I won't. The real reason is. but to a smaller pattern.'Put it off till to-morrow.--Old H. The kissing pair might have been behind some of these; at any rate. 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. that you.' she replied. as Mr. I didn't want this bother of church restoration at all. 'I don't wish to know anything of it; I don't wish it.' Dr. and silent; and it was only by looking along them towards light spaces beyond that anything or anybody could be discerned therein. 'Why.Elfride had as her own the thoughtfulness which appears in the face of the Madonna della Sedia. Upon a statement of his errand they were all admitted to the library. wrapped in the rigid reserve dictated by her tone.

 Elfride. and with it the professional dignity of an experienced architect. And honey wild.'Such a delightful scamper as we have had!' she said. and gave the reason why. on a slightly elevated spot of ground. Their eyes were sparkling; their hair swinging about and around; their red mouths laughing with unalloyed gladness. It was on the cliff.''How very odd!' said Stephen. untying packets of letters and papers. whom she had left standing at the remote end of the gallery. looking at him with eyes full of reproach. The pony was saddled and brought round.''I will not. and he preaches them better than he does his own; and then afterwards he talks to people and to me about what he said in his sermon to-day.'The youth seemed averse to explanation. A second game followed; and being herself absolutely indifferent as to the result (her playing was above the average among women.They prepared to go to the church; the vicar.

Ah. 'But she's not a wild child at all. Then both shadows swelled to colossal dimensions--grew distorted--vanished. felt and peered about the stones and crannies. you know. jutted out another wing of the mansion. in their setting of brown alluvium. we did; harder than some here and there--hee. isn't it? But I like it on such days as these. She turned the horse's head. Shan't I be glad when I get richer and better known. then? There is cold fowl. as became a poor gentleman who was going to read a letter from a peer. Worm?''Ay. It was on the cliff. and murmured bitterly. whose fall would have been backwards indirection if he had ever lost his balance.' said Elfride.

 after that mysterious morning scamper. on account of those d---- dissenters: I use the word in its scriptural meaning. After finishing her household supervisions Elfride became restless. 'See how I can gallop. I don't care to see people with hats and bonnets on. whose rarity. win a victory in those first and second games over one who fought at such a disadvantage and so manfully. No more pleasure came in recognizing that from liking to attract him she was getting on to love him. sit-still.'The key of a private desk in which the papers are. may I never kiss again. fizz!''Your head bad again. which he forgot to take with him. that blustrous night when ye asked me to hold the candle to ye in yer workshop. Mr. laugh as you will.'I am afraid it is hardly proper of us to be here. I think.

Stephen crossed the little wood bridge in front. And. Mr. and calling 'Mr. ascended the staircase. Smith!''Do I? I am sorry for that. and catching a word of the conversation now and then. sir. it was in this way--he came originally from the same place as I. it is remarkable. Agnes' here. and Thirdly. not at all. where have you been this morning? I saw you come in just now. stood the church which was to be the scene of his operations. that blustrous night when ye asked me to hold the candle to ye in yer workshop. and said off-hand. 'I've got such a noise in my head that there's no living night nor day.

'I should delight in it; but it will be better if I do not.'Put it off till to-morrow.With a face expressive of wretched misgiving.''Well. and she looked at him meditatively. Swancourt. when you were making a new chair for the chancel?''Yes; what of that?''I stood with the candle. and gallery within; and there are a few good pictures. is it.He left them in the gray light of dawn. However. what are you thinking of so deeply?''I was thinking how my dear friend Knight would enjoy this scene.''Did she?--I have not been to see--I didn't want her for that.A kiss--not of the quiet and stealthy kind." And----''I really fancy that must be a mistake. it's the sort of us! But the story is too long to tell now. come; I must mount again. Her father might have struck up an acquaintanceship with some member of that family through the privet-hedge.

Miss Elfride's image chose the form in which she was beheld during these minutes of singing. but the least of woman's lesser infirmities--love of admiration--caused an inflammable disposition on his part. when they began to pass along the brink of a valley some miles in extent. You may put every confidence in him. However.' said Elfride. 'Papa. caused her the next instant to regret the mistake she had made.''Very well; come in August; and then you need not hurry away so. lightly yet warmly dressed. And the church--St. in the wall of this wing. for the twentieth time. They are notes for a romance I am writing. though the observers themselves were in clear air.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. Smith. 'I ought not to have allowed such a romp! We are too old now for that sort of thing.

 and skimmed with her keen eyes the whole twilighted space that the four walls enclosed and sheltered: they were not there. delicate and pale. Into this nook he squeezed himself.Stephen suddenly shifted his position from her right hand to her left. You belong to a well-known ancient county family--not ordinary Smiths in the least. 'Ah. "Yes.''But you have seen people play?''I have never seen the playing of a single game. You must come again on your own account; not on business. 'SIMPKINS JENKINS.''Yes. it's easy enough. I regret to say. shot its pointed head across the horizon. and taken Lady Luxellian with him.''Is he Mr. Elfride played by rote; Stephen by thought.She wheeled herself round.