woman you are, to be so absurdly scrupulous about a mere iota! Really, I
never once have thought whether your nineteenth year was the last or
the present. And, by George, well I may not; for it would never do for a
staid fogey a dozen years older to stand upon such a trifle as that.'

'Don't praise me--don't praise me! Though I prize it from your lips, I
don't deserve it now.'

But Knight, being in an exceptionally genial mood, merely saw this
distressful exclamation as modesty. 'Well,' he added, after a minute, 'I
like you all the better, you know, for such moral precision, although
I called it absurd.' He went on with tender earnestness: 'For, Elfride,
there is one thing I do love to see in a woman--that is, a soul truthful
and clear as heaven's light. I could put up with anything if I had
that--forgive nothing if I had it not. Elfride, you have such a soul, if
ever woman had; and having it, retain it, and don't ever listen to the
fashionable theories of the day about a woman's privileges and natural
right to practise wiles. Depend upon it, my dear girl, that a noble
woman must be as honest as a noble man. I specially mean by honesty,
fairness not only in matters of business and social detail, but in all
the delicate dealings of love, to which the licence given to your sex
particularly refers.'

Elfride looked troublously at the trees.

'Now let us go on to the river, Elfie.'

'I would if I had a hat on,' she said with a sort of suppressed woe.

'I will get it for you,' said Knight, very willing to purchase her
companionship at so cheap a price. 'You sit down there a minute.' And he
turned and walked rapidly back to the house for the article in question.

Elfride sat down upon one of the rustic benches which adorned this
portion of the grounds, and remained with her eyes upon the grass. She
was induced to lift them by hearing the brush of light and irregular
footsteps hard by. Passing along the path which intersected the one she
was in and traversed the outer shrubberies, Elfride beheld the farmer's
widow, Mrs. Jethway. Before she noticed Elfride, she paused to look at
the house, portions of which were visible through the bushes. Elfride,
shrinking back, hoped the unpleasant woman might go on without seeing
her. But Mrs. Jethway, silently apostrophizing the house, with actions
which seemed dictated by a half-overturned reason, had discerned the
girl, and immediately came up and stood in front of her.

'Ah, Mi