Priscilla with the housework and the preparation for breakfast. There was always plenty to do, and as she moved quickly to and fro, fulfilling the various duties she

ck of dirt was anywhere visible, till the copper shone like mirrors, and the tables were nearly as smooth as polished silver or ivory. Going into the dairy where pans of new milk stood ready for skimming, and looking out for a moment through the lattice window, she saw old Hugo Jocelyn and Robin Clifford walking together across the

you never tell me that I

ays red face turned redder,-then, with a

? Well, in the first place, 'twasn't none of my business,

looking at her with

now?" went on Priscilla, nerv

sed her hand

lla! Dad hims

ould let it go wagging loose now, the Lord only knows! There's no making out the ways of men,-they first plays the wise and silent game like bar

uld know. You see, I'm not a child any more-I'm eighteen-that's a woman-

kitchen table and looked across at th

not of the general kicking spirit. Take my advice, dearie! You marry Mr. Robin!-as good a boy as ever breathed-he'll be a ki

cannot! A poor nameless girl like me!-why, it would be a shame to him in after-

d a sound between

ret room are full of nonsense, I'm pretty sure-an' if you believes that men are always sighin' an' dyin' for a woman, you're mistaken-yes, you

smiled,

ut it, Priscilla," she answe

arter Mr. Jocelyn in a way-but he's no sort of a man to worry about-he just goes reglar to the farmin'-an' that's all-a decent creature always, an' steady as his own oxen what pulls the plough. An'

ing!" she exclaimed-"Don't

u-why, lovey, you don't know the wickedness o' this world, nor the ways of it-an' you talks about love as if it was somethin' wonderful an' far away, when here it is at yer very feet for the pickin' up! What's the good of all they books ye've bin readin' if they do

-but Innocent's small fair face was pale and calm, though h

t is said in the words he carved on the panel in his study,-but we do not know that he ever

cilla, staring-"That's a queer thing to

essing some wave of hidden feeling-"Your idea of happiness and mine must be so differe

with a great tenderness

rosy in the sun! You've lived all your life in the open country, and so you've always had the good God near you,-but there's places where the houses stand so close together that the sky can hardly mak

so much to think about-my life seems so altered and strange-I hardly understand myself

ckly then, to avoid

Here breakfast was laid, and the latticed window was set wide open, admitting the sweet scent of stocks and mignonette with every br

ot mine-that never will be mine! How I ha

the same as ever,-yet now to her mind so far removed from her that she hesitated a moment before giving him her customary good-mornin

r soft arms about him and kissed his cheek-"

held her for a moment, looking at her s

of you, my little innocent, fatherless, motherless lamb! And you, child!-you did not s

d and pinched her crimsoning

d, and an odd expression of sternness and resolve clouded his features-"Yes!-I'll take Ned Landon with me-he's shrewd enough when he's sober-and he's cunning enough, too, for that matter!-yes, I'll take him with me. We'll be off in the dog-cart as soon

dden vacant stare. Innocent, frightened at his unn

id, soothingly-"What is

m his eyeballs, and

long enough out of window last night, and mind you!-somebody was listening! That means mischief! I don't blame you, poor wilding!-but remem

ng and unmerited shame, but pity for the old man's worn and haggard look of pain held her silent. She saw and felt that he was not strong enough to bear any argument or opposition in his present mood, so she made no sort of reply

gave him his cup-"Eh, wilding? The prettiest lily flowers I ever saw! And one of them will look

her eyes. Old Hugo, meanwhile, began to eat his breakfast with the nervous haste of a man who take

didn't you?" he demand

t him with sorrow

heard. And

in upon the beautiful old room, and through the open window came a pleasant murmuring of bees among the mignonette, and the whistle of a thrush in an el

own for ever into the dark and the cold, away from the sunshine and the sky-but it's got to be done!"-here he clenched his fist and brought it down on

the moment strong and resolute. Taking one or two slow turns u

day," he said-"I and N

in the tone of his voice, and she gl

demanded, a trifle testily-"You need

iled f

she said-"I did not mean to

he asked, with sudden h

ng away all day in the t

ith a kind of energetic expectancy. "Work to do and business to settle!" he repeated-"Yes, little

d the expression of her

his own. "There, there!" he went on, patting it gently-"We'll think no more of trouble and folly and mistakes in life; it'll be all joy and peace for you, child! Take God's good blessing of an honest lad's love and b

vely from his hold,-and she never looked up. He he

ded, glancing back at her-"There'll be no spies about t

hair, moved at last by a

said nothing wrong-and I do

ok came into old Hugo

Lan

amazed,-t

Lan

-ay, ay!-a bit in the way! But he's a good farm hand for all that,-and his word stands for something! I'd rath

her colour coming and going quickly-"And why should he

ed indu

arm! Ay!-and that reminds me-" Here he came from the door back into the room again, and going to a quaint old upright oaken press that stood in one corner, he unlocked it and took out a roll of bank-notes. These he counted carefully over to himself, and folding them up put them away in his breast pocket. "Now I'm read

ave the best and the tenderest of husbands. And Briar Farm,-the beloved old home-would be hers!-her very own! Her children would inherit it and play about the fair and fruitful fields as she had done-they, too, could be taught to love the memory of the old knight, the Sieur Amadis de Jocelin-ah!-but surely it was

lved to abide by her own interior sense of what was right and fitting. She heard the wheels of the dog-cart grating the gravel outside the garden gate, and an affectionate impulse moved her to go and s

ning, Mis

t composure. He eyed her askance, but had no opportunity for more words, as old Hugo just then clamber

Then, as Landon jumped up beside him, he smiled, seeing the soft,

'm gone!" he called to her;-"Yo

the whip on the mare's ears,

ld not disturb him. She turned away from the sunshine and flowers and made her way upstairs to her own room. How quiet and reposeful it looked! It was a beloved shrine, full of sweet memories and dreams,-

said, half alo

espeare,-and inferior to the simplest French lyrist of old time that ever wrote a "chanson d'amour." But the doubt in her mind was whether she, personally, had any thoughts worth expressing,-any ideas which the world might be the happier or the better for knowing and sharing? She drew a long breath,-the warm colour flushed her cheeks and then faded, leaving her very pale,-the whole outlook of her life was so barren of hope or promise that she dared not indulge in any dream of brighter days. On the face of it, there seemed no possible chance of leaving

ething in it after all!-something just a little new

rouble-Robin, and Robin's love for her,-Robin, who, if she married him, would spend his life gladly in the effort to make her happy,-where in the wide world would she find a better, truer-hearted man? And yet-a curious reluctance had held her back from him, even when she had believ

is for us to be like brother and sister, he will see things in the right way. And when he marries I am sure to b

among the russet-coloured trees with their burden of reddening apples. Robin was there alone-he was busied in putting up a st

she asked, approachin

shall lose this big bough in the n

, and the movements of his light muscular figure. In a little while

dge, and quite reproachful! What have I done?-or what has anybody done

ponse to his gay,

spect," she said-"I don't feel very h

r two, watching her with a g

he spoke

nging in such rosy clusters among the grey-green leaves. Nothing prettier in all the world, I th

making the interlacing shadows darker by contrast. There was a painful throbbing in her throat,-the tension of struggling tears which strove for an out

rying you. I'm worried myself-and I'd better

up at him

night?

o frightened!-he said something that I couldn't stand, so we had a jolly good fight. He got the worst of it, I can tell you! He's stiff and unfit to work to-day-that's why Uncle Hugo has taken him to the town. I told the whole story to Uncle Hugo this morning-and he says I did quite right. But it's a bore to have to go on 'bossing' L

xclaimed. "If you would only let me g

d at her

ou talk of going away! No, no!-not unless"-here he drew nearer and looked at her steadily and tenderly in the eyes-"not unless you

terred by her

han I am?-though now, even if I loved you with all my heart, I would not marry you. How could I? I am nothing-I have no name-no family-and can you think that I would bring shame

ive! Ah, dear!-do put all your fancies aside and try to realise what good you would be doing to the old man if he felt quite certain t

him with a sudden

ot pretend?

do you

just to satisfy him. Couldn't you

e said, with a puzzled air-"H

When he comes home to-night let him think it's all right-and

uch that you would rather run away than marry me, I won't say another word about it. I'll manage to smooth

think!-but just suppose it possible that, after all, my own parents did remember me

n sm

said-"Uncle Hugo told me so this morning, and sai

was silen

entleman' to desert hi

hesi

ve been all sorts of dangers and difficulties-anyhow, I

were now on the very edge of the little thicket where the tomb of the Sieur Amadis de J

!" sh

ct for so many fancies and feelings, and when she beckoned him to the spot where she stood be

!" she said, reproachfu

ounder of y

between us two, Innocent!-a cold stone creature with no heart-and you

resolution failed her. He saw her momen

ching her hand in his own-"Innocent, you do

d away very quic

e your wife-your wife without any wife's love for you-I should grow to hate Briar Farm!-yes, I should!-I should pine and die in the very place whe

gazed at her in mute amazement. Her eyes flashed, and h

r children,-now for that you might choose among the girls about here, any of whom would be glad to have you for a husband. But,

, and he saw her as he had never before seen her-a creature removed, isolated and unattainable through the for

r a woman," he said-"She was created and intended fo

sponded, quickly-"But

ws cont

ocent," he said, seriously-"It is wr

ghtened, an

ered-"But 'people' don't matter-to ME. I

at her,

e asked-"It is the one thing all lovers wish f

brows-"And when their wishes are gratified, they often wish they had not wished!"

ably-"You are much too young

dded,

y of 'these things,'" she said-"Isn't that so? Don't frown, Robin! Look

n-"He was a perfectly sensible ma

ittle smile made two fascinati

aid good-bye t

her in visi

what do you know ab

-arching boughs,-a shaft of sunlight struck on her fair hair and illumined its pale brown to gold

e beckoned him to a grassy slope beneath one of the oldest trees, where

so,-and we can talk as long as we like. You ask me what I know?-not much indeed

at I do," he ans

laug

d of my voice ought to fill you with ecstasy! Yes, really! Come, be good!" And she sat down on the grass, glancing up at

es, you may! Now, if the Sieur Amadis had been allowed to hold

rowled Robin, with an affectation of ill-h

r smiling e

n! Well, you will be-

e echoed-"How? W

queried, merrily-"Yes, I think it must be six! Like the Sieur Amadis! And wh

of her look nearly upset his self-p

passionately-"if you wou

ook he

a!-when she asks you to 'listen to reason,' she's in the worst of tempers! Besides, Robin, dear, we shall have plenty of chances to 'listen to reason' when we grow older

red, kissing the hand he hel

flew over her ch

rettier! I can see you as the master of Briar Farm-such a sweet home for you and your wife, and all your little children runnin

r a protest,-she sto

!" sh

as a moment