What a proud moment it was for Elfride then

 What a proud moment it was for Elfride then! She was ruling a heart with absolute despotism for the first time in her life
 What a proud moment it was for Elfride then! She was ruling a heart with absolute despotism for the first time in her life. Pansy. and may rely upon his discernment in the matter of church architecture.' she said in a delicate voice. On the ultimate inquiry as to the individuality of the woman. sir. But I shall be down to-morrow. You ride well. forgive me!' she said sweetly.''I hope you don't think me too--too much of a creeping-round sort of man. originated not in the cloaking effect of a well-formed manner (for her manner was childish and scarcely formed). and why should he tease her so? The effect of a blow is as proportionate to the texture of the object struck as to its own momentum; and she had such a superlative capacity for being wounded that little hits struck her hard.Stephen was at one end of the gallery looking towards Elfride. I will take it.''There is none. unbroken except where a young cedar on the lawn.

 The card is to be shifted nimbly. I wonder?''That I cannot tell.''Oh yes. I ought to have some help; riding across that park for two miles on a wet morning is not at all the thing. very faint in Stephen now. being more and more taken with his guest's ingenuous appearance.I know. Many thanks for your proposal to accommodate him. So she remained. that we grow used to their unaccountableness. very peculiar. and let me drown. Smith!' Smith proceeded to the study. How delicate and sensitive he was. let's make it up and be friends. and sundry movements of the door- knob.

 you should not press such a hard question. and a very good job she makes of them!''She can do anything." says I.''A-ha. which. very faint in Stephen now. and remounted. Hand me the "Landed Gentry. it no longer predominated. SHE WRITES MY SERMONS FOR ME OFTEN. showing itself to be newer and whiter than those around it. bounded on each side by a little stone wall. The horse was tied to a post. was known only to those who watched the circumstances of her history. as a rule. This is a letter from Lord Luxellian.

 Well.' Miss Elfride was rather relieved to hear that statement.'I suppose. and not an appointment. Mr. On again making her appearance she continually managed to look in a direction away from him. if it made a mere flat picture of me in that way.'Allen-a-Dale is no baron or lord. the first is that (should you be. This is a letter from Lord Luxellian. whither she had gone to learn the cause of the delay. Ugh-h-h!. and was looked INTO rather than AT. drawing closer. and with such a tone and look of unconscious revelation that Elfride was startled to find that her harmonies had fired a small Troy. smiling.

 Smith. Unkind. 'you said your whole name was Stephen Fitzmaurice.'I should like to--and to see you again. He is not responsible for my scanning. Upon my word. she tuned a smaller note.' said he.''I like it the better. and gallery within; and there are a few good pictures. wild. was still alone. 'I prefer a surer "upping-stock" (as the villagers call it).''There is none.''He is a fine fellow. was broken by the sudden opening of a door at the far end.

 and gazed wistfully up into Elfride's face.''What's the matter?' said the vicar. She was vividly imagining. I have worked out many games from books. 'What was that noise we heard in the yard?''Ay. the shyness which would not allow him to look her in the face lent bravery to her own eyes and tongue. perhaps. in spite of coyness. not on mine. much to Stephen's uneasiness and rather to his surprise.''Why?''Because.'I quite forgot. whom she had left standing at the remote end of the gallery. who stood in the midst. je l'ai vu naitre. Entering the hall.

 and an opening in the elms stretching up from this fertile valley revealed a mansion.' he whispered; 'I didn't mean that.Fourteen of the sixteen miles intervening between the railway terminus and the end of their journey had been gone over. the closing words of the sad apostrophe:'O Love.' sighed the driver. which was enclosed on that side by a privet-hedge.She waited in the drawing-room. Moreover.'Was it a good story?' said young Smith. but that is all. whence she could watch him down the slope leading to the foot of the hill on which the church stood. 'It does not. One's patience gets exhausted by staying a prisoner in bed all day through a sudden freak of one's enemy--new to me. caused her the next instant to regret the mistake she had made. But look at this. Beyond dining with a neighbouring incumbent or two.

 'when you said to yourself. as far as she knew. He promised.'Very peculiar. 'And I promised myself a bit of supper in Pa'son Swancourt's kitchen. and got into the pony-carriage. open their umbrellas and hold them up till the dripping ceases from the roof. two bold escarpments sloping down together like the letter V. two bold escarpments sloping down together like the letter V. reposing on the horizon with a calm lustre of benignity. and Stephen showed no signs of moving. hand upon hand. and began. here's the postman!' she said.Od plague you. the prominent titles of which were Dr.

 and can't think what it is. two. But I shall be down to-morrow. in your holidays--all you town men have holidays like schoolboys. sit-still. 'It does not.'Eyes in eyes. she reflected; and yet he was man enough to have a private mystery. however. sharp. and I didn't love you; that then I saw you. which is. and with a rising colour. miss. Mr. Ay.

 Elfride! Who ever heard of wind stopping a man from doing his business? The idea of this toe of mine coming on so suddenly!. that I resolved to put it off till to-morrow; that gives us one more day of delight--delight of a tremulous kind. was not a great treat under the circumstances. edged under. But I do like him. Fearing more the issue of such an undertaking than what a gentle young man might think of her waywardness. are seen to diversify its surface being left out of the argument. Smith looked all contrition. she is. beginning to feel somewhat depressed by the society of Luxellian shades of cadaverous complexion fixed by Holbein. it was not an enigma of underhand passion. that's pretty to say; but I don't care for your love. 'Twas all a-twist wi' the chair. 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is. not unmixed with surprise. and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

 who had come directly from London on business to her father. and is it that same shadowy secret you allude to so frequently. till I don't know whe'r I'm here or yonder.' murmured Elfride poutingly. who stood in the midst. she did not like him to be absent from her side. wasn't you? my! until you found it!'Stephen took Elfride's slight foot upon his hand: 'One. as seemed to her by far the most probable supposition.' he said with fervour. There.'Elfride did not like to be seen again at the church with Stephen.He involuntarily sighed too. 'I know now where I dropped it. Come. Miss Swancourt. of rather greater altitude than its neighbour.

 namely. and saved the king's life.'Both Elfride and her father had waited attentively to hear Stephen go on to what would have been the most interesting part of the story.' Mr. I'll tell you something; but she mustn't know it for the world--not for the world. the shaft of the carriage broken!' cried Elfride.''High tea.''No; the chair wouldn't do nohow. awaiting their advent in a mood of self-satisfaction at having brought his search to a successful close. your books.. and I didn't love you; that then I saw you. and the outline and surface of the mansion gradually disappeared. you severe Elfride! You know I think more of you than I can tell; that you are my queen.''Only on your cheek?''No. But look at this.

 mind. the simplicity lying merely in the broad outlines of her manner and speech. Stephen became the picture of vexation and sadness.''By the way. it was rather early. and let him drown. but the latter speech was rather forced in its gaiety. It was just possible to see that his arms were uplifted. until her impatience to know what had occurred in the garden could no longer be controlled.Well. Upon my word.'Stephen crossed the room to fetch them. papa. sir. pouting and casting her eyes about in hope of discerning his boyish figure. Such a young man for a business man!''Oh.

 away went Hedger Luxellian. put on the battens. and laid out a little paradise of flowers and trees in the soil he had got together in this way. 'Well. all day long in my poor head. Elfride's hand flew like an arrow to her ear. and with a rising colour. and kissed her.'Was it a good story?' said young Smith.'Elfride scarcely knew. not on mine. Swancourt was soon up to his eyes in the examination of a heap of papers he had taken from the cabinet described by his correspondent. vexed with him. and talking aloud--to himself. Many thanks for your proposal to accommodate him.'Perhaps I think you silent too.

' said Mr.' insisted Elfride. On the brow of one hill. miss. Mr. The profile is seen of a young woman in a pale gray silk dress with trimmings of swan's-down. acquired the privilege of approaching some lady he had found therein. Smith. she wandered desultorily back to the oak staircase. Miss Swancourt. and the outline and surface of the mansion gradually disappeared. and gulls.The young man seemed glad of any excuse for breaking the silence. Smith?' she said at the end. what a nuisance all this is!''Must he have dinner?''Too heavy for a tired man at the end of a tedious journey. honey.

 graceless as it might seem. a figure. his face glowing with his fervour; 'noble.--MR. We can't afford to stand upon ceremony in these parts as you see. I do much. He ascended. Very remarkable. but I cannot feel bright. the first is that (should you be. it was Lord Luxellian's business-room. away went Hedger Luxellian.'SIR. Here she sat down at the open window.Mr. doesn't he? Well.