hood:
it showed all that undiscoverable land which was hidden to the learned
Mr. Emlyn, all that land which an uncomprehended girl seizes and reigns
over when she becomes wife and mother.

At that homely speech, and that impulsive movement, Kenelm halted, in
a sort of dreaming maze. He turned timidly, "Can you forgive me for my
rude words? I presumed to find fault with you."

"And so justly. I have been thinking over all you said, and I feel you
were so right; only I still do not quite understand what you meant by
the quality for mortals which the fairy did not give to her changeling."

"If I did not dare say it before, I should still less dare to say it
now."

"Do." There was no longer the stamp of the foot, no longer the flash
from her eyes, no longer the wilfulness which said, "I insist;"--

"Do;" soothingly, sweetly, imploringly.

Thus pushed to it, Kenelm plucked up courage, and not trusting himself
to look at Lily, answered brusquely,--

"The quality desirable for men, but more essential to women in
proportion as they are fairy-like, though the tritest thing possible, is
good temper."

Lily made a sudden bound from his side, and joined her aunt, walking
through the wet grass.

When they reached the garden-gate, Kenelm advanced and opened it. Lily
passed him by haughtily; they gained the cottage-door.

"I don't ask you in at this hour," said Mrs. Cameron. "It would be but a
false compliment."

Kenelm bowed and retreated. Lily left her aunt's side, and came towards
him, extending her hand.

"I shall consider your words, Mr. Chillingly," she said, with a
strangely majestic air. "At present I think you are not right. I am not
ill-tempered; but--" here she paused, and then added with a loftiness
of mien which, had she not been so exquisitely pretty, would have been
rudeness--"in any case I forgive you."

CHAPTER IX.

THERE were a good many pretty villas in the outskirts of Moleswich, and
the owners of them were generally well off, and yet there was little of
what is called visiting society; owing perhaps to the fact that there
not being among these proprietors any persons belonging to what is
commonly called "the aristocratic class," there was a vast deal of
aristocratic pretension. The family of Mr. A-----, who had enriched
himself as a stock-jobber, turned up its nose at the family of Mr.
B-----, who had enriched himself still more as a linen-draper, while the
family of Mr. B----- showed a very