fe--then went softly forth on to the landing. No one seemed to be
stirring; she had no watch to tell her the time, but doubtless it was
very early. Softly she began to descend the stairs, and at length
recognised the door of the drawing-room. She did not like to enter: it
was only Mrs. Ormonde's kindness that had given her a right to sit
there the evening before. But the house-door would not be open yet, she
feared. Just as she was reluctantly turning to go up and wait a little
longer in her bedroom, a sound below at once startled and relieved her.
Looking over the banisters, she saw a servant coming from one of the
rooms on the ground floor. She hurried down. The servant looked at her
with surprise.

'Good-morning!' she said. 'Can I get out of the house?'

'I'll open the door for you, Miss.'

'What time is it, please?'

'It isn't quite half-past six, Miss, You're an early riser.'

'Yes, I want to go out before breakfast. Please will you tell me which
way goes to the sea?'

The servant gave her good-natured directions, and Thyrza was soon
running along with a glimpse of blue horizon for guidance. She ran like
a child, ran till the sharp morning air made her breathless, then
walked until she was able to run again. And at length she was on the
beach, down at length by the very edge of the waves. Here the breeze
was so strong that with difficulty she stood against it, but its rude
caresses were a joy to her. Each breaker seemed a living thing; now she
approached timidly, now ran back with a delicious fear. She filled her
hands with the smooth sea-pebbles; a trail of weed with the foam fresh
on it was a great discovery. Then her eye caught a far-off line of
smoke. That must be a steamer coming from a foreign country; perhaps
from France, which was--how believe it?--yonder across the blue vast.

You have watched with interest some close-folded bud; one day all
promise is shut within those delicate sepals, and on the next, for the
fulness of time has come, you find the very flower with its glow and
its perfume. So it sometimes happens that a human soul finds its
season, and at a touch expands to wonderful new life.

Mrs. Ormonde perceived at breakfast that Thyrza desired nothing more
than to be left to pass her day in freedom. So she gave her visitor a
little bag with provision against seaside appetite, and let her go
forth till dinner-time; then again till the hour of tea. In the evening
Thyrza was again bidden to t