er
Balliol you wear it by my express orders."

Eleanor's look was lovely. She saw that the gentleness of this speech
was intended to give her back just that liberty she might think was
forbidden. Humbleness and affection danced in her face together.

"And you do not object to white dresses, Rowland?"

"Never--when they are white--" he said with one of his peculiar smiles.

"Rowland," said Eleanor, now completely happy again, "you ought to have
those jalousie blinds at these windows. You want them here much more
than I do."

"How will you prove that?"

"By putting them here; and then you will confess it."

"Don't you do it!" said he smiling, seeing that Eleanor's eye was in
earnest.

"Please let me! Do let me! You want them much more than I do, Rowland."

"Then you will have to let them stand; for they are just where I want
them."

"But the shade of them is much more needed here."

"I could have had it. You need not disturb yourself. There is a whole
stack of them lying under the shelves in your store-room."

"Why are they lying there?" said Eleanor in great surprise.

"I did not want them. I left them for you to dispose of."

"For me! Then I shall dispose some of them here."

"Not with my leave."

"May I not know why?" said Eleanor putting her hand in his to plead for
it.

"I do not want to fare too much better than my brethren," he answered
with a smile of infinite pleasantness at her. Eleanor's face shewed a
sudden accession of intelligence.

"Then, Rowland, let us send the other jalousies to Mr. Balliol to shade
his study--with all my heart; and you put up mine here. I did not think
about that before. Will you do it?"

"There are plenty of them without taking yours, child."

"Then, O Rowland, why did you not do it before?"

"I have an objection to using other people's property--even for the
benefit of my neighbours"--he said, with the provoking smile in the
corners of his mouth.

"But it is yours now."

"Well, I make it over to you, to be offered and presented as it seems
good to you, to brother Balliol, or to sister Balliol, for his use and
behoof."

"Do you mean that I must do it?"

"If it is your pleasure."

"Then I will speak of it immediately."

"You can have an opportunity to-night. But Eleanor,--you must call her,
sister Balliol."

"I can't, Rowland!"

Silence fell between the parties. Mr. Rhys's face was impenetrable.
Eleanor glanced at it and again glanced at it; got n