owed no signs of wavering.

As time went on, Ellen began to like him more in himself. She grew
accustomed to his red hair and freckles, and when he was in his everyday
kit of gaiters and breeches and broadcloth, she did not find him
unattractive. Moreover she could not fail to appreciate his fundamental
qualities of generosity and gentleness--he was like a big, faithful,
gentle dog, a red-haired collie, following and serving.

Sec.12

The weeks went by, and Ellen still persevered. But she was disappointed
in results. She had thought that Alce's subjection would not take very
long, she had not expected the matter to drag. It was the fault of his
crass stupidity--he was unable to see what she was after, he looked upon
her just as a little girl, Joanna's little sister, and was good to her
for Joanna's sake.

This was humiliating, and Ellen fretted and chafed at her inability to
make him see. She was no siren, and was without either the parts or the
experience for a definite attack on his senses. She worked as an amateur
and a schoolgirl, with only a certain fundamental shrewdness to guide
her; she was doubtless becoming closer friends with Alce--he liked to
sit and talk to her after tea, and often gave her lifts in his trap--but
he used their intimacy chiefly to confide in her his love and admiration
for her sister, which was not what Ellen wanted.

The first person to see what was happening was Joanna herself. She had
been glad for some time of Ellen's increased friendliness with Alce, but
had pat it down to nothing more than the comradeship of that happy day
at Lord John Sanger's show. Then something in Ellen's looks as she spoke
to Arthur, in her manner as she spoke of him, made her suspicious--and
one Sunday evening, walking home from church, she became sure. The
service had been at Pedlinge, in the queer barn-like church whose walls
inside were painted crimson; and directly it was over Ellen had taken
charge of Alce, who was coming back to supper with them. Alce usually
went to his parish church at Old Romney, but had accepted Ellen's
invitation to accompany the Goddens that day, and now Ellen seemed
anxious that he should not walk with her and Joanna, but had taken him
on ahead, leaving Joanna to walk with the Southlands.

The elder sister watched them--Alce a little oafish in his Sunday
blacks, Ellen wearing her new spring hat with the daisies. As she spoke
to him she lifted her face on her graceful neck