h had just taken place
between two such dear friends was not natural,--was not to be
endured. What might not Clara think of it! To meet her for the first
time after her escape from Aylmer Park, and to speak to her only
on matters concerning money! He would certainly go to her again on
that afternoon. In his walking he came to the bottom of the rising
ground on the top of which stood the rock on which he and Clara had
twice sat. But he turned away, and would not go up to it. He hoped
that he might go up to it very soon,--but, except under certain
circumstances, he would never go up to it again.

"I am going across to the cottage immediately after dinner," he said
to his sister.

"Have you an appointment?"

"No; I have no appointment. I suppose a man doesn't want an
appointment to go and see his own cousin down in the country."

"I don't know what their habits are."

"I shan't ask to go in; but I want to see her."

Mary looked at him with loving, sorrowing eyes, but she said no more.
She loved him so well that she would have given her right hand to get
for him what he wanted;--but she sorrowed to think that he should
want such a thing so sorely. Immediately after his dinner, he took
his hat and went out without saying a word further, and made his way
once more across to the gate of the cottage. It was a lovely summer
evening, at that period of the year in which our summer evenings just
begin, when the air is sweeter and the flowers more fragrant, and the
forms of the foliage more lovely than at any other time. It was now
eight o'clock, but it was hardly as yet evening; none at least of the
gloom of evening had come, though the sun was low in the heavens. At
the cottage they were all sitting out on the lawn; and as Belton came
near he was seen by them, and he saw them.

"I told you so," said Mrs. Askerton, to Clara, in a whisper.

"He is not coming in," Clara answered. "He is going on."

But when he had come nearer, Colonel Askerton called to him over the
garden paling, and asked him to join them. He was now standing within
ten or fifteen yards of them, though the fence divided them. "I have
come to ask my cousin Clara to take a walk with me," he said. "She
can be back by your tea time." He made his request very placidly, and
did not in any way look like a lover.

"I am sure she will be glad to go," said Mrs. Askerton. But Clara
said nothing.

"Do take a turn with me, if you are not tired," said he.

"She h