l him early if he was to be told at all. The longer her
concealment the more difficult would be the revelation. But she put it
off. The intense fear which accompanies intense love in young women
was too strong to allow the exercise of a moral quality antagonistic to
itself:

'Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear;
Where little fears grow great, great love grows there.'

The match was looked upon as made by her father and mother. The vicar
remembered her promise to reveal the meaning of the telegram she had
received, and two days after the scene in the summer-house, asked her
pointedly. She was frank with him now.

'I had been corresponding with Stephen Smith ever since he left England,
till lately,' she calmly said.

'What!' cried the vicar aghast; 'under the eyes of Mr. Knight, too?'

'No; when I found I cared most for Mr. Knight, I obeyed you.'

'You were very kind, I'm sure. When did you begin to like Mr. Knight?'

'I don't see that that is a pertinent question, papa; the telegram was
from the shipping agent, and was not sent at my request. It announced
the arrival of the vessel bringing him home.'

'Home! What, is he here?'

'Yes; in the village, I believe.'

'Has he tried to see you?'

'Only by fair means. But don't, papa, question me so! It is torture.'

'I will only say one word more,' he replied. 'Have you met him?'

'I have not. I can assure you that at the present moment there is
no more of an understanding between me and the young man you so much
disliked than between him and you. You told me to forget him; and I have
forgotten him.'

'Oh, well; though you did not obey me in the beginning, you are a good
girl, Elfride, in obeying me at last.'

'Don't call me "good," papa,' she said bitterly; 'you don't know--and
the less said about some things the better. Remember, Mr. Knight knows
nothing about the other. Oh, how wrong it all is! I don't know what I am
coming to.'

'As matters stand, I should be inclined to tell him; or, at any rate,
I should not alarm myself about his knowing. He found out the other day
that this was the parish young Smith's father lives in--what puts you in
such a flurry?'

'I can't say; but promise--pray don't let him know! It would be my
ruin!'

'Pooh, child. Knight is a good fellow and a clever man; but at the same
time it does not escape my perceptions that he is no great catch for
you. Men of his turn of mind are nothing so wonderful in th