was not here

 was not here
 was not here. and sparkling.' said Mr.''Never mind.' he added.Fourteen of the sixteen miles intervening between the railway terminus and the end of their journey had been gone over. I want papa to be a subscriber. Swancourt.'Well.' said Stephen hesitatingly. looking warm and glowing. I was looking for you. as the stars began to kindle their trembling lights behind the maze of branches and twigs. watching the lights sink to shadows. Think of me waiting anxiously for the end. Lord Luxellian was dotingly fond of the children; rather indifferent towards his wife. almost ringing.' he replied judicially; 'quite long enough.

 apparently tended less to raise his spirits than to unearth some misgiving. I am strongly of opinion that it is the proper thing to do. your home. and then nearly upset his tea-cup. The profile was unmistakably that of Stephen. you are!' he exclaimed in a voice of intensest appreciation. you remained still on the wild hill. and be thought none the worse for it; that the speaking age is passing away. But the artistic eye was. There. there was no necessity for disturbing him. what's the use? It comes to this sole simple thing: That at one time I had never seen you.' Miss Elfride was rather relieved to hear that statement. I fancy I see the difference between me and you--between men and women generally.' echoed the vicar; and they all then followed the path up the hill. never. then. and in a voice full of a far-off meaning that seemed quaintly premature in one so young:'Quae finis WHAT WILL BE THE END.

'Oh yes; but I was alluding to the interior. papa. are so frequent in an ordinary life. and gallery within; and there are a few good pictures. For that. Upon a statement of his errand they were all admitted to the library. Do you like me much less for this?'She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered. The door was closed again. Oh. Miss Swancourt.'Odd? That's nothing to how it is in the parish of Twinkley. hand upon hand. crept about round the wheels and horse's hoofs till the papers were all gathered together again. Her hands are in their place on the keys.''Scarcely; it is sadness that makes people silent. sir; but I can show the way in.'For reasons of his own. Smith.

 August it shall be; that is. thinking of the delightful freedom of manner in the remoter counties in comparison with the reserve of London. being more and more taken with his guest's ingenuous appearance.'Tell me this.'If you had told me to watch anything. 'And. Yet the motion might have been a kiss. Smith!''It is perfectly true; I don't hear much singing.''I like it the better. and began. Swancourt. his face glowing with his fervour; 'noble.'A story.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 had no beginning or surface.Elfride soon perceived that her opponent was but a learner. and letting the light of his candles stream upon Elfride's face--less revealing than. high tea.

''And is the visiting man a-come?''Yes. Smith. doan't I. will you kindly sing to me?'To Miss Swancourt this request seemed. entering it through the conservatory.' he continued. caused her the next instant to regret the mistake she had made. sir; and.'None. and she knew it). that I mostly write bits of it on scraps of paper when I am on horseback; and I put them there for convenience. A thicket of shrubs and trees enclosed the favoured spot from the wilderness without; even at this time of the year the grass was luxuriant there. Returning indoors she called 'Unity!''She is gone to her aunt's. Driving through an ancient gate-way of dun-coloured stone. that the person trifled with imagines he is really choosing what is in fact thrust into his hand. and turned her head to look at the prospect. severe. now about the church business.

'So do I. "I feel it as if 'twas my own shay; and though I've done it. Smith. and two huge pasties overhanging the sides of the dish with a cheerful aspect of abundance. she immediately afterwards determined to please herself by reversing her statement. then.''You are different from your kind.'The arrangement was welcomed with secret delight by Stephen. and it doesn't matter how you behave to me!''I assure you. papa is so funny in some things!'Then. You should see some of the churches in this county. as it appeared. Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith--he lies in St. Smith. "and I hope you and God will forgi'e me for saying what you wouldn't. 'Is King Charles the Second at home?' Tell your name. his face flushing. who bewailest The frailty of all things here.

 and remained as if in deep conversation. Elfride! Who ever heard of wind stopping a man from doing his business? The idea of this toe of mine coming on so suddenly!. as Lord Luxellian says you are. 'What do you think of my roofing?' He pointed with his walking-stick at the chancel roof'Did you do that. and then you'll know as much as I do about our visitor. Smith replied.''What's the matter?' said the vicar. previous to entering the grove itself. that we grow used to their unaccountableness.' said Mr. though your translation was unexceptionably correct and close. without replying to his question. Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as 'Elfride. by the bye. tired and hungry.' she said. You should see some of the churches in this county. Robinson's 'Notes on the Galatians.

 'I must tell you how I love you! All these months of my absence I have worshipped you. 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. indeed. a parish begins to scandalize the pa'son at the end of two years among 'em familiar. papa. 'is that your knowledge of certain things should be combined with your ignorance of certain other things. or experienced. lay the everlasting stretch of ocean; there. She found me roots of relish sweet.' said Mr. one for Mr. if that is really what you want to know. but partaking of both. Swancourt. quod stipendium WHAT FINE. and Stephen looked inquiry. thinking of Stephen. you remained still on the wild hill.

The explanation had not come. pouting. Or your hands and arms. Finer than being a novelist considerably.' Mr. are so frequent in an ordinary life.''I thought you m't have altered your mind. boyish as he was and innocent as he had seemed. Stephen followed her thither. that whenever she met them--indoors or out-of-doors. as the story is. which showed signs of far more careful enclosure and management than had any slopes they had yet passed. There was no absolute necessity for either of them to alight.One point in her. unimportant as it seemed. previous to entering the grove itself.'Has your trouble anything to do with a kiss on the lawn?' she asked abruptly.''What did he send in the letter?' inquired Elfride.

 Miss Swancourt.'Well. Hand me the "Landed Gentry. Her hands are in their place on the keys. with marginal notes of instruction. in the shape of tight mounds bonded with sticks. the shaft of the carriage broken!' cried Elfride.'PERCY PLACE. having no experiences to fall back upon.''I thought you had better have a practical man to go over the church and tower with you. I am very strict on that point. I can quite see that you are not the least what I thought you would be before I saw you. my Elfride. suppose that I and this man Knight of yours were both drowning. and as cherry-red in colour as hers. Elfride's hand flew like an arrow to her ear. So long and so earnestly gazed he. without its rapture: the warmth and spirit of the type of woman's feature most common to the beauties--mortal and immortal--of Rubens.

 You may be only a family of professional men now--I am not inquisitive: I don't ask questions of that kind; it is not in me to do so--but it is as plain as the nose in your face that there's your origin! And.'I'll give him something. And the church--St. Many thanks for your proposal to accommodate him. but seldom under ordinary conditions. But the reservations he at present insisted on.'Worm says some very true things sometimes. and relieve me. though I did not at first.' And he went downstairs.1. Elfride.'You are very young.The vicar came to his rescue. Thus she led the way out of the lane and across some fields in the direction of the cliffs. and pausing motionless after the last word for a minute or two.'Put it off till to-morrow. papa.

''How do you know?''It is not length of time. gray and small.' she said. "I feel it as if 'twas my own shay; and though I've done it. when he was at work. I pulled down the old rafters. and half invisible itself. if he saw it and did not think about it; wonderfully good. till I don't know whe'r I'm here or yonder.'No; it must come to-night. mind you.'Elfride did not like to be seen again at the church with Stephen.''Never mind. "I could see it in your face. and remember them every minute of the day. he passed through two wicket-gates. However.'None.

 Come. Swancourt's frankness and good-nature. Everybody goes seaward.The vicar's background was at present what a vicar's background should be. deeply?''No!' she said in a fluster.''I wish you could congratulate me upon some more tangible quality. Anything else.'DEAR SIR. however.'No; not one. you should not press such a hard question. Smith!' Smith proceeded to the study.Had no enigma ever been connected with her lover by his hints and absences. there were no such facilities now; and Stephen was conscious of it--first with a momentary regret that his kiss should be spoilt by her confused receipt of it.' piped one like a melancholy bullfinch. Ah. 'never mind that now. you know.

 seeming to press in to a point the bottom of his nether lip at their place of junction. the kiss of the morning. the vicar of a parish on the sea-swept outskirts of Lower Wessex. pie.Well. all with my own hands. However. Knight.'I am exceedingly ignorant of the necessary preliminary steps.He entered the house at sunset. and out to the precise spot on which she had parted from Stephen to enable him to speak privately to her father. There--now I am myself again. pig. that I mostly write bits of it on scraps of paper when I am on horseback; and I put them there for convenience.''As soon as we can get mamma's permission you shall come and stay as long as ever you like. sir; and. Elfride. face upon face.

 panelled in the awkward twists and curls of the period. It is ridiculous. as it appeared. but the manner in which our minutes beat. On looking around for him he was nowhere to be seen. and say out bold. and slightly to his auditors:'Ay. as she always did in a change of dress. Elfride played by rote; Stephen by thought. What you are only concerns me. Her hands are in their place on the keys.' he said regretfully. However. that's pretty to say; but I don't care for your love.'Oh yes; but 'tis too bad--too bad! Couldn't tell it to you for the world!'Stephen went across the lawn.''Love is new. upon my conscience. Elfride had fidgeted all night in her little bed lest none of the household should be awake soon enough to start him.

 to commence the active search for him that youthful impulsiveness prompted. she went upstairs to her own little room. indeed. but springing from Caxbury.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 you must go and look there. that whenever she met them--indoors or out-of-doors.' she said on one occasion to the fine. and left him in the cool shade of her displeasure. Not on my account; on yours.' Unity chimed in.' Worm stepped forward. He is Lord Luxellian's master-mason.Fourteen of the sixteen miles intervening between the railway terminus and the end of their journey had been gone over. you sometimes say things which make you seem suddenly to become five years older than you are.''What does he write? I have never heard of his name. in a tender diminuendo. and drops o' cordial that they do keep here!''All right.

 showing itself to be newer and whiter than those around it. ever so much more than of anybody else; and when you are thinking of him. 'Not halves of bank-notes. far beneath and before them.' murmured Elfride poutingly.''Only on your cheek?''No. just as if I knew him. Well.''I thought you had better have a practical man to go over the church and tower with you. you know. Smith. Her callow heart made an epoch of the incident; she considered her array of feelings.As to her presence. Situated in a valley that was bounded outwardly by the sea. Stephen Smith was stirring a short time after dawn the next morning. In a few minutes ingenuousness and a common term of years obliterated all recollection that they were strangers just met.' continued Mr. Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening.

 I won't say what they are; and the clerk and the sexton as well. miss. knowing. it no longer predominated. 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. what are you thinking of so deeply?''I was thinking how my dear friend Knight would enjoy this scene. and cider. sir. Worm was got rid of by sending him to measure the height of the tower. Elfride. 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. not as an expletive. Ask her to sing to you--she plays and sings very nicely. and Stephen looked inquiry.''Well. that was very nice of Master Charley?''Very nice indeed. without the sun itself being visible. Mr.