wfully wet of late, the woods are sopping,
so I must take to the roads, and on the roads there is Euty--Mr.
Custance. And Euty--Mr. Custance--hankers after me; and you know you
said I wasn't to hanker after him, not until you gave me leave----"

"I never said such a word."

"You said I was to have no dealings with anybody--except Val; and Val
doesn't count. But of course Euty doesn't know that, and he thinks I'm a
poor little soul, and might be glad to pass the time of day with
anybody. Whereas I--I like the dear good man very well in church; but
outside it, I don't pine and crave for his society. I can exist without
it. You needn't stretch a point to grant it me----"

"Is that child going on forever?" struck in Maud, impatiently. "Why do
you let her pour out this flood of nonsense, Sue? She simply wants to
hear her own tongue, and give no one else a chance."

Apparently, however, Sue thought otherwise. Disregarding the
interruption, she maintained a serious and puzzled air.

"Am I to understand that you suppose yourself an object of interest to
Mr. Custance, Leo?"

"If not, why does he hunt me about the roads? Why does he come galloping
after me----"

"Leo!"

"He does--he did yesterday. I was on ahead near Betty Farmiloe's
cottage, and out he popped and saw me. I walked on as fast as ever I
could, but his long legs took him over the ground like a racer, and he
would have caught me up as sure as fate----"

"You misinterpret a very ordinary civility,----" but the speaker was not
allowed to proceed.

"For goodness sake let her 'misinterpret' then," cried Sybil, diverted
by the recital, "go on, Leo. Did he catch you, or did he not?"

"A cow came along, so I pretended it was a bull, and dashed into a
field. Luckily there was a gate handy."

"'Pretended it was a bull'? How?" rejoined Sybil, still enjoying
herself. "You really are a joke, Leo."

"I threw up my arms madly--like this. Then I made furious passes with my
umbrella at the cow supposed to be bull. Finally I leaped at the gate
and clambered over, unable to see in my desperation that it would have
opened if I had only drawn back the bolt. Tableau. The baffled Euty
sadly pursues his way, while the trembling and agitated Leo flies over
the fields home."

"And never says a word about it?"--from Sybil.

"Not I. Catch me. Sue would have been cross, as she is now," with a
roguish glance; "she would have thought I wanted to rob her of her
beloved rector--