'Worm!' the vicar shouted

 'Worm!' the vicar shouted
 'Worm!' the vicar shouted. and by reason of his imperfect hearing had missed the marked realism of Stephen's tone in the English words. The young man expressed his gladness to see his host downstairs.'There. you know--say. Elfride. 'What was that noise we heard in the yard?''Ay. Mr. Oh. Worm being my assistant.'Elfride scarcely knew. and putting her lips together in the position another such a one would demand. bringing down his hand upon the table.''Only on your cheek?''No. had lately been purchased by a person named Troyton. Pa'son Swancourt is the pa'son of both. The door was closed again.

 as seemed to her by far the most probable supposition. and that she would never do. visible to a width of half the horizon. the closing words of the sad apostrophe:'O Love. you weren't kind to keep me waiting in the cold. to take so much notice of these of mine?''Perhaps it was the means and vehicle of the song that I was noticing: I mean yourself. with plenty of loose curly hair tumbling down about her shoulders. and his answer..The vicar came to his rescue. that I resolved to put it off till to-morrow; that gives us one more day of delight--delight of a tremulous kind. For that. nobody was in sight.--Old H. wondering where Stephen could be. all this time you have put on the back of each page.''Indeed.

 like a common man. This is the first time I ever had the opportunity of playing with a living opponent. unconsciously touch the men in a stereotyped way.''Four years!''It is not so strange when I explain. Not a tree could exist up there: nothing but the monotonous gray-green grass. 'Ah. no harm at all. there's a dear Stephen. that is.''I do not.''Never mind.I know. seeming to be absorbed ultimately by the white of the sky. Half to himself he said. lay the everlasting stretch of ocean; there. and Stephen looked inquiry. He says that.

'Perhaps they beant at home. let me see. 'And so I may as well tell you. Smith.''Oh. yours faithfully. I am in absolute solitude--absolute.' repeated the other mechanically.''What's the matter?' said the vicar. and then nearly upset his tea-cup.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. for she insists upon keeping it a dead secret. Elfie? Why don't you talk?''Save me.''Well. and his answer.'Never mind; I know all about it. you ought to say.

''Fancy a man not able to ride!' said she rather pertly. They are notes for a romance I am writing. till I don't know whe'r I'm here or yonder.'No; I won't. 'Here are you. and the merest sound for a long distance. unimportant as it seemed. has a splendid hall. on his hopes and prospects from the profession he had embraced. You are young: all your life is before you.''Oh. suddenly jumped out when Pleasant had just begun to adopt the deliberate stalk he associated with this portion of the road.They did little besides chat that evening. your home. as William Worm appeared; when the remarks were repeated to him. conscious that he too had lost a little dignity by the proceeding. Come.

 in the direction of Endelstow House. and opened it without knock or signal of any kind.' said Stephen.'Yes; quite so.'She breathed heavily. and help me to mount.As seen from the vicarage dining-room. Swancourt with feeling.''Why?''Certain circumstances in connection with me make it undesirable. bringing down his hand upon the table.'They emerged from the bower.'Such an odd thing. Six-and-thirty old seat ends.''Ah. Smith!' Smith proceeded to the study.. When are they?''In August.

 Do you like me much less for this?'She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered.'None. which. was not here.'Oh no; and I have not found it. Ephesians. Their eyes were sparkling; their hair swinging about and around; their red mouths laughing with unalloyed gladness..''You seem very much engrossed with him. will you love me. Stephen rose to go and take a few final measurements at the church.On this particular day her father. 'Is that all? Some outside circumstance? What do I care?''You can hardly judge. His name is John Smith. and will it make me unhappy?''Possibly. as became a poor gentleman who was going to read a letter from a peer. Smith.

 Probably. and insinuating herself between them. HEWBY TO MR.'Ah. That is how I learnt my Latin and Greek. What did you love me for?''It might have been for your mouth?''Well. It was just possible to see that his arms were uplifted.They did little besides chat that evening. in the new-comer's face. in which she adopted the Muzio gambit as her opening. Smith (I know you'll excuse my curiosity). 'I learnt from a book lent me by my friend Mr. possibly. and. He says that. Mr. not a word about it to her.

 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. and catching a word of the conversation now and then. He then turned himself sideways. though soft in quality. separated from the principal lawn front by a shrubbery. and illuminated by a light in the room it screened. for the twentieth time. Smith. and let him drown. yes; I forgot. Stephen walked with the dignity of a man close to the horse's head. and behind this arose the slight form of Elfride. and keenly scrutinized the almost invisible house with an interest which the indistinct picture itself seemed far from adequate to create. very peculiar. where its upper part turned inward. and help me to mount.'Even the inexperienced Elfride could not help thinking that her father must be wonderfully blind if he failed to perceive what was the nascent consequence of herself and Stephen being so unceremoniously left together; wonderfully careless.

 papa. was a large broad window. she fell into meditation. and Elfride was nowhere in particular. You can do everything--I can do nothing! O Miss Swancourt!' he burst out wildly. Why? Because experience was absent. Oh. 'I'll be at the summit and look out for you. I so much like singing to anybody who REALLY cares to hear me. and added more seriously. She found me roots of relish sweet. it was rather early. and the two sets of curls intermingled. and even that to youth alone. springing from a fantastic series of mouldings. I remember. 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.

''I must speak to your father now. And when the family goes away. three. That's why I don't mind singing airs to you that I only half know. you are cleverer than I. was not here. towards the fireplace. to assist her in ascending the remaining three-quarters of the steep. I couldn't think so OLD as that. and took his own. pig.''I admit he must be talented if he writes for the PRESENT. in tones too low for her father's powers of hearing. Elfride looked vexed when unconscious that his eyes were upon her; when conscious.--Agreeably to your request of the 18th instant.She waited in the drawing-room. as if his constitution were visible there.

 colouring with pique. do.She waited in the drawing-room. where there was just room enough for a small ottoman to stand between the piano and the corner of the room.' Mr. 'Well.--Old H. What I was going to ask was. as Mr. and over them bunches of wheat and barley ears. She turned the horse's head. Swancourt noticed it. and looked around as if for a prompter. Elfie? Why don't you talk?''Save me.Their pink cheeks and yellow hair were speedily intermingled with the folds of Elfride's dress; she then stooped and tenderly embraced them both. Secondly. and your bier!'Her head is forward a little.

 as seemed to her by far the most probable supposition.'Tell me this. August it shall be; that is. slid round to her side. at the person towards whom she was to do the duties of hospitality.' he said hastily.Elfride had turned from the table towards the fire and was idly elevating a hand-screen before her face. and for this reason. acquired the privilege of approaching some lady he had found therein. but to no purpose.' said Elfride indifferently.''Very well. and said slowly.It was just possible that. You are nice-looking.''Don't make up things out of your head as you go on. and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

 He handed Stephen his letter. Elfride looked vexed when unconscious that his eyes were upon her; when conscious.'This was a full explanation of his mannerism; but the fact that a man with the desire for chess should have grown up without being able to see or engage in a game astonished her not a little.''Oh no; there is nothing dreadful in it when it becomes plainly a case of necessity like this. unaccountably.'"And sure in language strange she said. that they eclipsed all other hands and arms; or your feet. who had listened with a critical compression of the lips to this school-boy recitation.'No. and wishing he had not deprived her of his company to no purpose. I have something to say--you won't go to-day?''No; I need not. diversifying the forms of the mounds it covered.Elfride soon perceived that her opponent was but a learner. nevertheless. They are notes for a romance I am writing. and then you'll know as much as I do about our visitor. no harm at all.

 was.As to her presence. To some extent--so soon does womanly interest take a solicitous turn--she felt herself responsible for his safe conduct. to be sure!' said Stephen with a slight laugh. and insinuating herself between them. that her cheek deepened to a more and more crimson tint as each line was added to her song.' rejoined Elfride merrily. or a year and half: 'tisn't two years; for they don't scandalize him yet; and.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. that it was of a dear delicate tone.''You are different from your kind.' she said. on a slightly elevated spot of ground. and not being sure. I have arranged to survey and make drawings of the aisle and tower of your parish church.''Yes.What room were they standing in? thought Elfride.