tock. A
young acquaintance had died of consumption at Charmley, a neighbouring
village, on the previous Monday, and Dick, in fulfilment of a
long-standing promise, was to assist in carrying him to the grave. When
on Tuesday, Dick went towards the school to acquaint Fancy with the fact,
it is difficult to say whether his own disappointment at being denied the
sight of her triumphant debut as organist, was greater than his vexation
that his pet should on this great occasion be deprived of the pleasure of
his presence. However, the intelligence was communicated. She bore it
as she best could, not without many expressions of regret, and
convictions that her performance would be nothing to her now.

Just before eleven o'clock on Sunday he set out upon his sad errand. The
funeral was to be immediately after the morning service, and as there
were four good miles to walk, driving being inconvenient, it became
necessary to start comparatively early. Half an hour later would
certainly have answered his purpose quite as well, yet at the last moment
nothing would content his ardent mind but that he must go a mile out of
his way in the direction of the school, in the hope of getting a glimpse
of his Love as she started for church.

Striking, therefore, into the lane towards the school, instead of across
the ewelease direct to Charmley, he arrived opposite her door as his
goddess emerged.

If ever a woman looked a divinity, Fancy Day appeared one that morning as
she floated down those school steps, in the form of a nebulous collection
of colours inclining to blue. With an audacity unparalleled in the whole
history of village-school-mistresses at this date--partly owing, no
doubt, to papa's respectable accumulation of cash, which rendered her
profession not altogether one of necessity--she had actually donned a hat
and feather, and lowered her hitherto plainly looped-up hair, which now
fell about her shoulders in a profusion of curls. Poor Dick was
astonished: he had never seen her look so distractingly beautiful before,
save on Christmas-eve, when her hair was in the same luxuriant condition
of freedom. But his first burst of delighted surprise was followed by
less comfortable feelings, as soon as his brain recovered its power to
think.

Fancy had blushed;--was it with confusion? She had also involuntarily
pressed back her curls. She had not expected him.

"Fancy, you didn't know me for a moment in my funeral clothes,