dren. Ethelberta's appearance answered as fully as ever to that of
an English lady skilfully perfected in manner, carriage, look, and
accent; and the incongruity of her present position among lives which had
had many of Nature's beauties stamped out of them, and few of the
beauties of Art stamped in, brought him, as a second feeling, a pride in
her that almost equalled his first sentiment of surprise. Christopher's
attention was meanwhile attracted from the constitution of the group to
the words of the speaker in the centre of it--words to which her auditors
were listening with still attention.

It appeared to Christopher that Ethelberta had lately been undergoing
some very extraordinary experiences. What the beginning of them had been
he could not in the least understand, but the portion she was describing
came distinctly to his ears, and he wondered more and more.

'He came forward till he, like myself, was about twenty yards from the
edge. I instinctively grasped my useless stiletto. How I longed for the
assistance which a little earlier I had so much despised! Reaching the
block or boulder upon which I had been sitting, he clasped his arms
around from behind; his hands closed upon the empty seat, and he jumped
up with an oath. This method of attack told me a new thing with wretched
distinctness; he had, as I suppose, discovered my sex, male attire was to
serve my turn no longer. The next instant, indeed, made it clear, for he
exclaimed, "You don't escape me, masquerading madam," or some such words,
and came on. My only hope was that in his excitement he might forget to
notice where the grass terminated near the edge of the cliff, though this
could be easily felt by a careful walker: to make my own feeling more
distinct on this point I hastily bared my feet.'

The listeners moistened their lips, Ethelberta took breath, and then went
on to describe the scene that ensued, 'A dreadful variation on the game
of Blindman's buff,' being the words by which she characterized it.

Ethelberta's manner had become so impassioned at this point that the lips
of her audience parted, the children clung to their elders, and
Christopher could control himself no longer. He thrust aside the boughs,
and broke in upon the group.

'For Heaven's sake, Ethelberta,' he exclaimed with great excitement,
'where did you meet with such a terrible experience as that?'

The children shrieked, as if they thought that the interruption was