mind. I wanted to imprint a sweet--serious kiss upon your hand;
and that's all.'

'Now, that's creeping round again! And you mustn't look into my
eyes so,' she said, shaking her head at him, and trotting on a few
paces in advance. Thus she led the way out of the lane and across
some fields in the direction of the cliffs. At the boundary of
the fields nearest the sea she expressed a wish to dismount. The
horse was tied to a post. and they both followed an irregular
path, which ultimately terminated upon a flat ledge passing round
the face of the huge blue-black rock at a height about midway
between the sea and the topmost verge. There, far beneath and
before them, lay the everlasting stretch of ocean; there, upon
detached rocks, were the white screaming gulls, seeming ever
intending to settle, and yet always passing on. Right and left
ranked the toothed and zigzag line of storm-torn heights, forming
the series which culminated in the one beneath their feet.

Behind the youth and maiden was a tempting alcove and seat, formed
naturally in the beetling mass, and wide enough to admit two or
three persons. Elfride sat down, and Stephen sat beside her.

'I am afraid it is hardly proper of us to be here, either,' she
said half inquiringly. 'We have not known each other long enough
for this kind of thing, have we!'

'Oh yes,' he replied judicially; 'quite long enough.'

'How do you know?'