'No, no,' said the young man stilly, and with a rising colour.



'"And sure in language strange she said,
I love thee true."'



'Not at all,' she rejoined quickly. 'See how I can gallop. Now,
Pansy, off!' And Elfride started; and Stephen beheld her light
figure contracting to the dimensions of a bird as she sank into
the distance--her hair flowing.

He walked on in the same direction, and for a considerable time
could see no signs of her returning. Dull as a flower without the
sun he sat down upon a stone, and not for fifteen minutes was any
sound of horse or rider to be heard. Then Elfride and Pansy
appeared on the hill in a round trot.

'Such a delightful scamper as we have had!' she said, her face
flushed and her eyes sparkling. She turned the horse's head,
Stephen arose, and they went on again.

'Well, what have you to say to me, Mr. Smith, after my long
absence?'

'Do you remember a question you could not exactly answer last
night--whether I was more to you than anybody else?' said he.