ghtest sarcastic note in the voice. Robert winced. It
was borne in upon one of the least worldly of mortals that he had been
talking like the veriest schemer. What vague quick impulse had driven
him on?

By the time they emerged again upon the Murewell Green the rain had
cleared altogether away, and the autumnal morning had broken into
sunshine, which played mistily on the sleeping woods, on the white
fronts of the cottages, and the wide green where the rain-pools
glistened. On the hill leading to the rectory there was the flutter of a
woman's dress. As they hurried on, afraid of being late for luncheon,
they saw that it was Rose in front of them.

Langham started as the slender figure suddenly defined itself against
the road. A tumult within, half rage, half feeling, showed itself only
in an added rigidity of the finely-cut features.

Rose turned directly she heard the steps and voices, and over the
dreaminess of her face there flashed a sudden brightness.

'You _have_ been a long time!' she exclaimed, saying the first thing
that came into her head, joyously, rashly, like the child she in reality
was. 'How many halt and maimed has Robert taken you to see, Mr.
Langham?'

'We went to Murewell first. The library was well worth seeing. Since
then we have been a parish round, distributing stores.'

Rose's look changed in an instant. The words were spoken by the Langham
of her earliest acquaintance. The man who that morning had asked her to
play to him had gone--vanished away.

'How exhilarating!' she said scornfully. 'Don't you wonder how any one
can ever tear themselves away from the country?'

'Rose, don't be abusive,' said Robert, opening his eyes at her tone.
Then, passing his arm through hers, he looked banteringly down upon her.
'For the first time since you left the metropolis you have walked
yourself into a colour. It's becoming--and it's Murewell--so be civil!'

'Oh, nobody denies you a high place in milkmaids!' she said, with her
head in air--and they went off into a minute's sparring.

Meanwhile Langham, on the other side of the road, walked up slowly, his
eyes on the ground. Once, when Rose's eye caught him, a shock ran
through her. There was already a look of slovenly age about his stooping
bookworm's gait. Her companion of the night before--handsome, animated,
human--where was he? The girl's heart felt a singular contraction. Then
she turned and rent herself, and Robert found her more mocking and
s