should have forgotten it. He understood then a little better of all that he must be to her, since, as he turned to her (his head full of hawks, and the glory of the shouting wind, and e

eir merlins after larks, and there was no hope henceforth for Robin. Henceforth she rode with Mrs. Fenton and two or three more, while the gentlemen who loved sport more than courtesy,

*

d his hat, having fallen into a bog-hole, being one mask of mud from head to fo

ck half an hour ago. T

riding in ten minutes," he sa

court at that instant empty, ran up, as well as he could, the stone staircase that ros

*

ssary, the road by which any travellers from the valley must surely come. Within, too, scarcely any pains were taken to disguise the place. It was wainscoted from roof to floor-veiled, floored and walled in oak. A great chest stood beneath the little east window of two lights, that cried "Altar" if any chest ever did so. A great press stood against the wooden screen that shu

ng-dress, with the hood on her shoulders, and held her whip in her hand; but he could

d sharply; and then: "Why,

aid Robin. "I rol

d at him

hurt?... Sit

still watching to see if he were the wors

t to touch y

news; tell

passed between his father and him; of his own bitterness; a

pt in public before the servants. Both nights a

spoken to him?"

m after supper on Sunda

ing himself. I think it

ger him more if

turned now to the bright southerly window, and he could see her puzzled eyes and her down-turne

ed to hi

ainly that you and I

r? I told him plainly. And it wa

ighed

*

pe of obtaining it. If she should not tell her parents, then if the old man told them, deception would be charged against her; and if she should tell them, perhaps he would not have done so, and so all be brought to light too soon and wi

t, she thinking and he

and turned to him

been thinking so much about yo

oked for her to finish. She dr

she cried. "And all mig

d her eyes so that they

uddy arm about her shoulders. (

he said. "What hav

head and the t

hat a holy man that travelling prie

of thought, for he did not yet see the chain

oo," he said. "I thin

o," she cried. "Why, wh

ad drawn herself clear of his arm and

said. "I had some talk wit

hy, so did I, after the

oin us more closely

" She checked herself again. "Tell

as that should live such a rough life. If

paler, but her ey

aid. "And yo

ld fare so hardly. If it were a man like John Merton

y. But it was as if she had cried ou

he said presently, never moving her e

we are talking about Mr

her affairs m

t sure,"

ve, what are you

on the crags and slopes beyond the deep valley beneath them, and her face was bright in the reflected brig

at many things," she sa

f sorrow an

what do

ls. He could see her face close beneath his, yet it was in shadow again

scrupulous sometimes.... I do not know what I think, nor what is right, nor what are fancies

passion of weeping, and his arms were