girl better in the world than I.'

'Not that, indeed! And am I better in worldly station? What's the
use of have beens? We may have been something once; we are nothing
now.'

Then they whispered long and earnestly together; Stephen
hesitatingly proposing this and that plan, Elfride modifying them,
with quick breathings, and hectic flush, and unnaturally bright
eyes. It was two o'clock before an arrangement was finally
concluded.

She then told him to leave her, giving him his light to go up to
his own room. They parted with an agreement not to meet again in
the morning. After his door had been some time closed he heard
her softly gliding into her chamber.



Chapter XI

'Journeys end in lovers meeting.'


Stephen lay watching the Great Bear; Elfride was regarding a
monotonous parallelogram of window blind. Neither slept that
night.

Early the next morning--that is to say, four hours after their
stolen interview, and just as the earliest servant was heard