ted by one sister, he
flew for consolation to the other; jilted, too, for the mere memory of a
dead man! an additional insult!

Exquisite intricacy! Wilfrid worked through all the intervolutions,
and nearly forgot his wretchedness in admiration of his sister's mental
endowments. He was the more willing to magnify them, inasmuch as he
thereby strengthened his hope that liberty would follow the speaking of
the talismanic name of Eltham to Lady Charlotte, alone. He had come to
look upon her as the real barrier between himself and Emilia.

"I think we have brains," he said softly, on his pillow, upon a review
of the beggared aspect of his family; and he went to sleep with a smile
on his face.

CHAPTER LVIII

A sharp breath of air had passed along the dews, and all the young green
of the fresh season shone in white jewels. The sky, set with very dim
distant stars, was in grey light round a small brilliant moon. Every
space of earth lifted clear to her; the woodland listened; and in the
bright silence the nightingales sang loud.

Emilia and Tracy Runningbrook were threading their way toward a lane
over which great oak branches intervolved; thence under larches all with
glittering sleeves, and among spiky brambles, with the purple leaf and
the crimson frosted. The frost on the edges of the brown-leaved bracken
gave a faint colour. Here and there, intense silver dazzled their eyes.
As they advanced amid the icy hush, so hard and instant was the ring of
the earth under them, their steps sounded as if expected.

"This night seems made for me!" said Emilia.

Tracy had no knowledge of the object of the expedition. He was her
squire simply; had pitched on a sudden into an enamoured condition, and
walked beside her, caring little whither he was led, so that she left
him not.

They came upon a clearing in the wood where a tournament of knights
might have been held. Ranged on two sides were rows of larches, and
forward, fit to plume a dais, a clump of tall firs stood with a flowing
silver fir to right and left, and the white stems of the birch-tree
shining from among them. This fair woodland court had three broad oaks,
as for gateways; and the moon was above it. Moss and the frosted brown
fern were its flooring.

Emilia said eagerly, "This way," and ran under one of the oaks. She
turned to Tracy following: "There is no doubt of it." Her hand was lying
softly on her throat.

"Your voice?" Tracy divined her.

She nod