g that his injudicious peace-offering of
the flowers had stirred into life such a wearing, anxious, hopeful,
despairing solicitude as this, which had been latent for some time during
his constant meetings with the little stranger.

She vanished in the mist towards the left, and the loiterers in the hut
began to move and open the door, remarking, 'Now then for Wyndway House,
a change of clothes, and a dinner.'

4. SANDBOURNE PIER--ROAD TO WYNDWAY--BALL-ROOM IN WYNDWAY HOUSE

The last light of a winter day had gone down behind the houses of
Sandbourne, and night was shut close over all. Christopher, about eight
o'clock, was standing at the end of the pier with his back towards the
open sea, whence the waves were pushing to the shore in frills and coils
that were just rendered visible in all their bleak instability by the row
of lights along the sides of the jetty, the rapid motion landward of the
wavetips producing upon his eye an apparent progress of the pier out to
sea. This pier-head was a spot which Christopher enjoyed visiting on
such moaning and sighing nights as the present, when the sportive and
variegated throng that haunted the pier on autumn days was no longer
there, and he seemed alone with weather and the invincible sea.

Somebody came towards him along the deserted footway, and rays from the
nearest lamp streaked the face of his sister Faith.

'O Christopher, I knew you were here,' she said eagerly. 'You are
wanted; there's a servant come from Wyndway House for you. He is sent to
ask if you can come immediately to play at a little dance they have
resolved upon this evening--quite suddenly it seems. If you can come,
you must bring with you any assistant you can lay your hands upon at a
moment's notice, he says.'

'Wyndway House; why should the people send for me above all other
musicians in the town?'

Faith did not know. 'If you really decide to go,' she said, as they
walked homeward, 'you might take me as your assistant. I should answer
the purpose, should I not, Kit? since it is only a dance or two they seem
to want.'

'And your harp I suppose you mean. Yes; you might be competent to take a
part. It cannot be a regular ball; they would have had the quadrille
band for anything of that sort. Faith--we'll go. However, let us see
the man first, and inquire particulars.'

Reaching home, Christopher found at his door a horse and wagonette in
charge of a man-servant in livery, who rep