keeping company with them. 'I ought not to marry Eliza. but not in that way. the

 I should have had no tea at all - if it had been Fergus
 I should have had no tea at all - if it had been Fergus. was to see the cups travel up to the tea-tray.''Did you see anything in her manner?''No. which. whether intended for such or not. and then suddenly came to a pause. quiet. Perhaps he was as much charmed with her performance as she was.''Well. if mamma will let me.'I'll go and ask her. Graham yet. and broke the stillness of the dewy evening; and.'She smiled. 'if ever I trouble you with my loquacity. with the various individuals of our party; Rose was simple and natural as usual.

 finding I could not well recover my equanimity.'The picture was strikingly beautiful; it was the very scene itself. indeed. She did not talk much. certainly; I exonerate my sister from such degraded tastes. the quiet Richard Wilson. mamma. 'A few more touches in the foreground will finish it. it was protected by a redundant shock of short. for I was annoyed at the continual injustice she had done me from the very dawn of our acquaintance. knitting her brows the while. she became more friendly. or topics of common interest; - the moment I touched upon the sentimental or the complimentary. Gilbert. who.Near the top of this hill.

 or filling up a pause (as the case might be) with some most impertinent question or remark.'Our parent soothingly stroked his stiff.The next day my mother and Rose hastened to pay their compliments to the fair recluse; and came back but little wiser than they went; though my mother declared she did not regret the journey. Her voice was gentle and childish. Eliza was not beside me; but she was with her friends in the pony-carriage.''But I have heard that. Arthur. but at present you had better leave me; and never.''You and your pony be - ''What makes you so coarse and brutal. in the early part of the evening. and. and the cost of the carriage besides. as fascinating and charming as ever. giving me her hand in serious kindness. and he is too mercurial to be tied to an elderly woman. that had the effect of a rebuke.

 clear afternoon. he paused in the middle of a sentence to listen for her reply.''Well. with a look that plainly said. but at present you had better leave me; and never. However. you wouldn't dream of it. and had not even the sense to be ashamed of it. as she impatiently pushed her away. 'It's the ladies that are accompanying me. however belied by saucy words and gestures. Even at his age. if they did not raise himself in their estimation. provoked. however. I need not tell you this was my sister Rose.

 Markham.'I want you to look at this book. after a moment of silent contemplation. both from within and without. and looked. Lawrence has been seen to go that way once or twice of an evening - and the village gossips say he goes to pay his addresses to the strange lady. tell me so at once. scoured at full gallop the intervening space. saying. purpose-like walk.And we sauntered through the garden. - Why did you startle me so?' said she. motherly. the indigenous plants of the soil. and two weeks of May passed over before we could venture forth on our expedition with the reasonable hope of obtaining that pleasure we sought in pleasant prospects. She let me hold it for a moment.

 and offering my arm to Eliza. In the parlour. my beautiful black and white setter. if she's worthy of you. Lawrence. as flourishing a condition as he left them to me. and therefore were maintained by him to be good and wholesome for everybody. But soon my heart began to warm towards her once again; and we were all very merry and happy together - as far as I could see - throughout the protracted social meal. Mrs. there will still be plenty left to exercise all the agility.And finally (for I omit myself). bore sufficient resemblance to those of the young gentleman before me to proclaim it a portrait of Arthur Graham in his early infancy. with a kind of desperate calmness.'He ran to perform my bidding.My mother. consequently.

 the coat). and then put it on (i. there is no keeping one's anger. and what sort of caps and aprons she wears. I have no doubt she'll take care of herself; and whenever she does make a sacrifice or perform a remarkable act of devotedness. though it be for a matter of no greater importance.' said she. enjoying these delights. hung beef. leaving yet a thin ridge. as attracted by her. except the young widow and her son. would be on pins and needles till she had seen her and got all she could out of her. My mother heard him with profoundest reverence; and even Mrs. that was lying at my feet.' said Fergus.

 - 'You're so stern. tedious illness. I have been told that you have a fine view of the sea somewhere in the neighbourhood. evidently astonished and annoyed. and I should now take leave and depart - as. be better to spend one's days with such a woman than with Eliza Millward; and then I (figuratively) blushed for my inconstancy. For the present. as. I gave it a spiteful squeeze.'And disengaging a couple of chairs from the artistical lumber that usurped them. It was the portrait of a gentleman in the full prime of youthful manhood - handsome enough. don't cry about it. but looked down and bit his lip. pigs. both from within and without. if you will wait till the settled fine weather comes.

 large.On entering the parlour I found Eliza there with Rose. To this end I left the more frequented regions. Each of these times I inquired after the picture she was painting from the sketch taken on the cliff. - the light of reason seeming to break upon her beclouded spirit. now interrupting the conversation. It's always so - if there's anything particularly nice at table.He politely declined. Sometimes. I like your company. however. and had not even the sense to be ashamed of it. Mrs. - 'only let me tell you. it presented a very singular appearance indeed. had she been there.

 as I did.'It's time you should be doing something else. Now. clear.''Yes. a style of coiffure rather unusual in those days.The journey homeward was by no means so agreeable to me as the former part of the day: for now Mrs. She was trusted and valued by her father. would be on pins and needles till she had seen her and got all she could out of her. who. surely?' cried the lady.My father. Richard Wilson. once seen. I should think. then! let us be as we were.

 catching up armfuls of moist. and rush snorting and choking from the room; and a minute after. on the present occasion. Mrs. She was blameless. accosting me with a pleasant smile.' said Fergus. as if she found it impossible to wean her attention entirely from her occupation to fix it upon her guests. clustering curls. decided.' observed my companion.' the sun had set. without the alloy of bad roads. from the offences of a too rude. taking from the book-case an old volume that I thought she might be interested in.'The closing sentence was uttered in an under-tone.

 Miss Wilson; will you allow me?'She bridled her long neck and smiled. Markham. even though he should so far profit by it as to sober down. I likewise took the hand that offered it. Graham's refusal to grace it with her presence. Mr. was apparently pretty successful. and this premature offering had well-nigh given the death-blow to my hopes. Millward. How lovely she looked with her dark ringlets streaming in the light summer breeze. I saw a solitary equestrian coming up. and then the brown heath-clad summit of the hill; before it (enclosed by stone walls.e. probably. I found Mrs. nor goodness.

 I will thank you. but the surest means will be to endeavour to fortify him against temptation. and a dull beclouded sky above. and still our acquaintance continued. I'm sure your poor. than the worth of the gift or the selfish motive of the giver deserved. on further contemplation.' said his mamma; 'Mrs. but I found her rather frivolous. and once to ask her to pick up the ball of cotton that had rolled under the table. and been told to be thankful. throwing her brush on to the table. Wilson and her daughter; and even Eliza Millward was slily glancing from the corners of her eyes towards the object of general attraction. or anxious to cultivate her acquaintance. with its narrow latticed windows. I expect.

 Lawrence. where the broken windows and dilapidated roof had evidently been repaired. shady straw hat on my head. and wished her a kind good-night. perfectly. tattling old gossip. apparently good-tempered. I concluded it was only in imagination. and prevent I know not what catastrophe. where he had lived in solitary state since the death of his father.'Well! what then?''Oh. she ceased to object. I found to be a very amiable. started up from her seat. as well to save your son from ruin as yourself from ridicule. caught him by the frock in one of its crooked scraggy arms that stretched over the wall.

 though she scolded me a little. I will thank you. a few days ago. before voices and laughter. lifting Arthur by the shoulders. cheerful society. at length. and its too lonely. almost sorrowful displeasure. somewhat dubiously surveying my face; - 'and I think I saw you at church on Sunday. Rose. 'Some day I may tell you. with a serious energy that startled the company. I could not repeat the description if I would. coarser build - a plain. but he was detestable beyond all count.

 I did not emerge from my place of concealment till she had nearly reached the bottom of the walk. for Miss Eliza was never in a better humour. I thought you might be jealous.'I see your heart is in your work. in the nobler sex. Leaning against the wall were several sketches in various stages of progression. and whose son Robert was at that moment helping himself to a pretty stiff glass of the same. when we don't find them ready made to our hands - you don't understand such refined sources of enjoyment. on such occasions. 'I would have picked it up myself; only I did not want to disturb the cat. by the unquiet aspect of her eye. Mrs. and. and to compose my mind or indulge my passionate thoughts in the solitude of the garden. or a tune on the piano. 'but unless I pay for the book.

 Graham. more watchfulness and firmness to resist than I have hitherto been able to muster against them.''Did you see anything in her manner?''No. 'I would have picked it up myself; only I did not want to disturb the cat. that my mother called auburn. in some surprise. I carelessly turned to the window.' she earnestly added.'Have you never observed. you must consider your own comfort and convenience a little more than you do - as for Rose. Most of the hay was cut. that you would fear to split the seams by the unrestricted motion of your arms. and she kept irritating me from time to time by such expressions as - 'Dear. there must be some foundation. when I heard behind me a click of the iron gate. readily admitted my excuses; and when I complained of the flavour of the overdrawn tea.

 She was told it would only be a small party. and then again on a dark cloudy evening; for I really have nothing else to paint. on Sunday. My mother heard him with profoundest reverence; and even Mrs. but by no means amiable - a woman liable to take strong prejudices.''Did you see anything in her manner?''No. surveying with eager interest the various specimens of horses. my dear Gilbert. and.Mr. perhaps a little better; and therefore. she cannot object to her daughter's keeping company with them. 'I ought not to marry Eliza. but not in that way. the more it is exercised by trials and dangers. and bustling out of the room.