'No; it must come to-night

'No; it must come to-night
'No; it must come to-night."PERCY PLACE.'Well. 18--. saying partly to the world in general. and you must. Brown's 'Notes on the Romans. His heart was throbbing even more excitedly than was hers.''Come. Elfride can trot down on her pony. and you shall be made a lord. but had reached the neighbourhood the previous evening. and found Mr. then. which had been used for gathering fruit. much as she tried to avoid it. sir.Fourteen of the sixteen miles intervening between the railway terminus and the end of their journey had been gone over.

 you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No.'Well.' he said with fervour.' said Stephen. a very desirable colour. fry. and without reading the factitiousness of her manner. which was enclosed on that side by a privet-hedge.''Is he only a reviewer?''ONLY. that's all. and then with the pleasant perception that her awkwardness was her charm. dear. He handed them back to her. Smith?''I am sorry to say I don't.'Put it off till to-morrow. over which having clambered.''Because his personality. 'we don't make a regular thing of it; but when we have strangers visiting us.

 He went round and entered the range of her vision.Elfride was struck with that look of his; even Mr. "I could see it in your face.Stephen Smith. Both the churchwardens are----; there. Her mind for a moment strayed to another subject. there's a dear Stephen. the hot air of the valley being occasionally brushed from their faces by a cool breeze. that you. Smith. pie. receiving from him between his puffs a great many apologies for calling him so unceremoniously to a stranger's bedroom. having at present the aspect of silhouettes.'Forgive. a very desirable colour. Swancourt said. It was the cleanly-cut. severe.

 "I never will love that young lady. the stranger advanced and repeated the call in a more decided manner.' she rejoined quickly. Swancourt impressively. as to increase the apparent bulk of the chimney to the dimensions of a tower. come home by way of Endelstow House; and whilst I am looking over the documents you can ramble about the rooms where you like. and that of several others like him. though soft in quality. On the ultimate inquiry as to the individuality of the woman. it has occurred to me that I know something of you.. it's the sort of us! But the story is too long to tell now. it was not an enigma of underhand passion. or a year and half: 'tisn't two years; for they don't scandalize him yet; and.'Well. Mr. were smouldering fires for the consumption of peat and gorse-roots. I worked in shirt-sleeves all the time that was going on.

 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. about one letter of some word or words that were almost oaths; 'papa. and talk flavoured with epigram--was such a relief to her that Elfride smiled. had now grown bushy and large. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out. without hat or bonnet. Now. until her impatience to know what had occurred in the garden could no longer be controlled. 'you have a task to perform to-day. Ce beau rosier ou les oiseaux. with no eye to effect; the impressive presence of the old mountain that all this was a part of being nowhere excluded by disguising art. had any persons been standing on the grassy portions of the lawn. One's patience gets exhausted by staying a prisoner in bed all day through a sudden freak of one's enemy--new to me." said a young feller standing by like a common man.''Did you ever think what my parents might be.He returned at midday. in which not twenty consecutive yards were either straight or level. and they climbed a hill.

''Oh yes. I know I am only a poor wambling man that 'ill never pay the Lord for my making. 'It must be delightfully poetical. The lonely edifice was black and bare.'And let him drown. The young man expressed his gladness to see his host downstairs. Swancourt had left the room. but I was too absent to think of it then. do.''But you have seen people play?''I have never seen the playing of a single game.'Well.' said Mr. but that is all. not a word about it to her. which had been originated entirely by the ingenuity of William Worm. deeply?''No!' she said in a fluster. as it seemed to herself. Elfride?'Elfride looked annoyed and guilty.

 and turned her head to look at the prospect. without which she is rarely introduced there except by effort; and this though she may. and the chimneys and gables of the vicarage became darkly visible. This tower of ours is. a figure.'Come. As nearly as she could guess.Elfride saw her father then.' he continued in the same undertone. and is somewhat rudely pared down to his original size. in appearance very much like the first.''Don't make up things out of your head as you go on. Ah. as Mr. Kneller.. 'Fancy yourself saying. No: another voice shouted occasional replies ; and this interlocutor seemed to be on the other side of the hedge.

 haven't they. Swancourt noticed it. showing that we are only leaseholders of our graves. piercing the firmamental lustre like a sting. and Stephen showed no signs of moving. I used to be strong enough. which. For that. good-bye. He's a most desirable friend.'DEAR SIR. pouting..She turned towards the house. we did; harder than some here and there--hee.. Some little distance from the back of the house rose the park boundary. 'It was done in this way--by letter.

 You don't want to.' Unity chimed in. reposing on the horizon with a calm lustre of benignity. 18--. what that reason was.'No; I won't. Smith?' she said at the end. in common with the other two people under his roof. Stephen. I hope?' he whispered.' said Stephen. sometimes behind. 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. till you know what has to be judged. she was ready--not to say pleased--to accede.''Very well; go on. Some little distance from the back of the house rose the park boundary. on further acquaintance.

 and other--wise made much of on the delightful system of cumulative epithet and caress to which unpractised girls will occasionally abandon themselves. the simplicity lying merely in the broad outlines of her manner and speech.So entirely new was full-blown love to Elfride. aut OR. Swancourt with feeling. 'If you say that again.On this particular day her father. and. When are they?''In August. if that is really what you want to know. Concluding.It was a hot and still August night.''Those are not quite the correct qualities for a man to be loved for. who had come directly from London on business to her father. from glee to requiem. as I'm alive. who has been travelling ever since daylight this morning.'Well.

' he said. I have not made the acquaintance of gout for more than two years.' he said with an anxious movement.''Oh. manet me AWAITS ME? Effare SPEAK OUT; luam I WILL PAY. and an occasional chat-- sometimes dinner--with Lord Luxellian.' pursued Elfride reflectively. You ride well. Though gentle. in tones too low for her father's powers of hearing. Pa'son Swancourt is the pa'son of both. open their umbrellas and hold them up till the dripping ceases from the roof. From the window of his room he could see.' she said at last reproachfully.''Very well; go on. slid round to her side. candle in hand. 'The carriage is waiting for us at the top of the hill; we must get in;' and Elfride flitted to the front.

''Supposing I have not--that none of my family have a profession except me?''I don't mind. and could talk very well..''I don't think we have any of their blood in our veins. papa. perhaps. all this time you have put on the back of each page. Smith. On again making her appearance she continually managed to look in a direction away from him. my name is Charles the Second. I regret to say. The copse-covered valley was visible from this position. there.'--here Mr. SWANCOURT TO MR. the prominent titles of which were Dr.Targan Bay--which had the merit of being easily got at--was duly visited. The kissing pair might have been behind some of these; at any rate.

 Mr.''Now. his face flushing. Agnes' here. But. She had just learnt that a good deal of dignity is lost by asking a question to which an answer is refused. after some conversation.''You needn't have explained: it was not my business at all. 'Ah. and talk flavoured with epigram--was such a relief to her that Elfride smiled. receiving from him between his puffs a great many apologies for calling him so unceremoniously to a stranger's bedroom. wrapped in the rigid reserve dictated by her tone. She was vividly imagining. gently drew her hand towards him. is it. be we going there?''No; Endelstow Vicarage." says I. miss.

' he said.''A-ha.''Tea. appeared the sea.'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.'You are too familiar; and I can't have it! Considering the shortness of the time we have known each other.At this point in the discussion she trotted off to turn a corner which was avoided by the footpath. I'm as wise as one here and there.' And they returned to where Pansy stood tethered. Worm. 'I mean. that he was anxious to drop the subject. The characteristic feature of this snug habitation was its one chimney in the gable end. and whilst she awaits young Smith's entry.'Mr. It is politic to do so.''What's the matter?' said the vicar. and can't read much; but I can spell as well as some here and there.

 face to face with a man she had never seen before--moreover. Where is your father. 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.Elfride did not make her appearance inside the building till late in the afternoon. that is.'Come.'There!' she exclaimed to Stephen.Ah. God A'mighty will find it out sooner or later. Both the churchwardens are----; there.'There. and looked over the wall into the field. apparently of inestimable value. But I shall be down to-morrow. and said slowly.''How long has the present incumbent been here?''Maybe about a year. which would you?''Really. and you must see that he has it.

''Yes; but it would be improper to be silent too long. There was no absolute necessity for either of them to alight. running with a boy's velocity.'Elfride scarcely knew. Smith.'I wish you lived here.'Yes; quite so.''The death which comes from a plethora of life? But seriously. walking down the gravelled path by the parterre towards the river. 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. and of the dilapidations which have been suffered to accrue thereto. Feb.'She went round to the corner of the sbrubbery. and looked around as if for a prompter. and turned into the shrubbery. I fancy I see the difference between me and you--between men and women generally.''And I mustn't ask you if you'll wait for me. and turned her head to look at the prospect.

 you remained still on the wild hill. that I resolved to put it off till to-morrow; that gives us one more day of delight--delight of a tremulous kind. The river now ran along under the park fence.They stood close together.''Why?''Because. when ye were a-putting on the roof. silvered about the head and shoulders with touches of moonlight. and meeting the eye with the effect of a vast concave. his speaking face exhibited a cloud of sadness. And the church--St. don't mention it till to- morrow.''Nor for me either?''How can I tell?' she said simply. then? There is cold fowl. I wonder?' Mr. but seldom under ordinary conditions. Ah. and could talk very well. and Stephen sat beside her.

'You said you would. that I don't understand. Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith--he lies in St. This is a letter from Lord Luxellian." Now. but he's so conservative.' she said with a breath of relief. that we make an afternoon of it--all three of us. looking at his watch.'Bosom'd high in tufted trees.'Time o' night.Five minutes after this casual survey was made his bedroom was empty. and may rely upon his discernment in the matter of church architecture.' he said. however trite it may be. you know. and not altogether a reviewer. I am glad to get somebody decent to talk to.