ny of
dinner. They had local acquaintances, with whom occasionally they
would spend their evenings; and now and then an old maid or two,--now
and then also a young maid or two would drop in on them. But it was
their habit to be alone. During these days of which we are speaking
Clarissa would take her "Faery Queen," and would work hard perhaps
for half an hour. Then the "Faery Queen" would be changed for a
novel, and she would look up from her book to see whether Patience
had turned upon her any glance of reprobation. Patience, in the
meantime, would sit with unsullied conscience at her work. And so
the evenings would glide by; and in these soft summer days the girls
would sit out upon the lawn, and would watch the boats of London
watermen as they passed up and down below the bridge. On this very
evening, the last on which they were to be together before the
arrival of their cousin,--Patience came out upon the lawn with her
hat and gloves. "I am going across to Miss Spooner's," she said;
"will you come?" But Clarissa was idle, and making some little joke,
not very much to the honour of Miss Spooner, declared that she was
hot and tired, and had a headache, and would stay at home. "Don't be
long, Patty," she said; "it is such a bore to be alone." Patience
promised a speedy return, and, making her way to the gate, crossed
the road to Miss Spooner's abode. She was hardly out of sight when
the nose of a wager boat was driven up against the bank, and there
was Ralph Newton, sitting in a blue Jersey shirt, with a straw hat
and the perspiration running from his handsome brow. Clarissa did not
see him till he whistled to her, and then she started, and laughed,
and ran down to the boat, and hardly remembered that she was quite
alone till she had taken his hand. "I don't think I'll come out, but
you must get me some soda-water and brandy," said Ralph. "Where's
Patience?"

"Patience has gone out to see an old maid; and we haven't got any
brandy."

"I am so hot," said Ralph, carefully extricating himself from the
boat. "You have got sherry?"

"Yes, we've got sherry, and port wine, and Gladstone;" and away she
went to get him such refreshment as the villa possessed.

He drank his sherry and soda-water, and lit his pipe, and lay there
on the lawn, as though he were quite at home; and Clarissa ministered
to him,--unconscious of any evil. He had been brought up with them on
terms of such close intimacy that she was entitled to rega