aled. There were moments with her
in which she thought that she could arrange her future life in
accordance with certain wise rules over which her heart should have
no influence. There were others, many others, in which her feelings
completely got the better of her. And now she told herself that she
would be afraid of nothing. There should be no deceit, no lies!

"He went to see you at Grex!" said Silverbridge.

"Why should he not have come to me at Grex?"

"Only it is so odd that he did not mention it. It seems to me that he
is always having secrets with you of some kind."

"Poor Frank! There is no one else who would come to see me at that
tumbledown old place. But I have another thing to say to you. You
have behaved badly to me."

"Have I?"

"Yes, sir. After my folly about that ring you should have known
better than to send it to me. You must take it back again."

"You shall do exactly what you said you would. You shall give it to
my wife,--when I have one."

"That did very well for me to say in a note. I did not want to send
my anger to you over a distance of two or three hundred miles by the
postman. But now that we are together you must take it back."

"I will do no such thing," said he sturdily.

"You speak as though this were a matter in which you can have your
own way."

"I mean to have mine about that."

"Any lady then must be forced to take any present that a gentleman
may send her! Allow me to assure you that the usages of society do
not run in that direction. Here is the ring. I knew that you would
come over to see--well, to see someone here, and I have kept it ready
in my pocket."

"I came over to see you."

"Lord Silverbridge! But we know that in certain employments all
things are fair." He looked at her not knowing what were the
employments to which she alluded. "At any rate you will oblige me
by--by--by not being troublesome, and putting this little trinket
into your pocket."

"Never! Nothing on earth shall make me do it."

At Killancodlem they did not dine till half-past eight. Twilight was
now stealing on these two, who were still out in the garden, all the
others having gone in to dress. She looked round to see that no other
eyes were watching them as she still held the ring. "It is there,"
she said, putting it on the bench between them. Then she prepared to
rise from the seat so that she might leave it with him.

But he was too quick for her, and was away at a distance before s