of the western wind, the solemn hush of the
deep-green woods, the changing tints of the summer sky delighted her.
Beautiful words, embodying beautiful thoughts, rippled over the fresh,
ripe lips. She knew nothing else. She had seen no pictures, read no
books, knew nothing of the fine arts, was totally ignorant of all
scholarly lore, but deep in her heart lay a passionate love for the
fair face of nature.

It was new to Ronald. He had heard fashionable ladies speak of
everything they delighted in. He had ever heard of "music in the fall
of rain drops," or character in flowers.

Once Dora forgot her shyness, and when Ronald said something, she
laughed in reply. How sweet and pure that laughter was--like a soft
peal of silver bells! When Ronald Earle went to sleep that night, the
sound haunted his dreams.

Chapter IV

Every morning brought the young heir of Earlescourt to the bright sunny
gardens where Dora worked among the strawberries. As the days passed
she began to lose something of her shy, startled manner, and laughed
and talked to him as she would have done to her own brother. His
vanity was gratified by the sweetest homage of all, the unconscious,
unspoken love and admiration of the young girl. He liked to watch the
blushes on her face, and the quivering of her lips when she caught the
first sound of his coming footsteps. He liked to watch her dark eyes
droop, and then to see them raised to his with a beautiful, startled
light.

Insensibly his own heart became interested. At first he had merely
thought of passing a pleasant hour; then he admired Dora, and tried to
believe that reading to her was an act of pure benevolence; but, as the
days passed on, something stronger and sweeter attracted him. He began
to love her--and she was his first love.

Wonderful to say, these long tete-a-tetes had not attracted
observation. No rumor of them escaped, so that no thorn appeared in
this path of roses which led to the brink of a precipice.

It wanted three days until the time settled for the return of Lord and
Lady Earle. Sir Harry Laurence, of Holtham Hall, asked Ronald to spend
a day with him; and, having no valid excuse, he consented.

"I shall not see you tomorrow, Dora," he said. "I am going away for the
day."

She looked at him with a startled face. One whole day without him!
Then, with a sudden deadly pain, came the thought that these golden
days must end; the time must come when she shoul