" was the next thought. "What does it
signify whether he goes sooner or later, when it would be
better for you not to see him at all, if your heart is going
to start in that fashion at every time. --"

Meanwhile she was making her way as well as she could, over
rocks and briars, towards the new-comer; and did not look up
till she answered his greeting --

"Good morning! --"

It was very cheerfully spoken.

"Good morning," said Elizabeth, entangled in a cat-briar, from
which with a desperate effort she broke free before any help
could be given her.

"Those are naughty things."

"No," said Elizabeth, "they look beautiful now when they are
growing tawny, as a contrast with the other creepers and the
deep green cedars. And they are a beautiful green at other
times."

"Make the best of them. What were you looking at, a minute
ago?"

"Looking for my way. I had lost it."

"You don't know it very well, I guess."

"Yes. -- No, not very well, but I could follow it, and did,
till coming home I thought I had time to look at the view; and
then I couldn't find it again. I got turned about."

"You were completely turned about when I saw you."

"O I was not going that way -- I knew better than that. I was
trying to discover some waymark."

"How did you get out of the way?"

"I went to look at the view -- from the water's edge there."

"Have you a mind to go back to the river edge again? I have
not seen that view in a long while. _I_ shall not lose the
path."

"Then you cannot be intending to go by an early coach,"
thought Elizabeth, as she picked her way back over rocks and
moss to the water's edge. But Winthrop knew the ground, and
brought her a few steps further to a broad standing-place of
rock where the look-out was freer. There was again before her
the sparkling river, the frost-touched mountain, the sharp
outlines, the varying shadows, that she had looked at a few
minutes back. Elizabeth looked at them again, thinking now not
of them but of something different at every turn.

"The rock is too wet," said Winthrop, "or I should propose
your sitting down."

"You certainly must have had your breakfast," thought
Elizabeth, "and not know that I haven't had mine."

"I don't want to sit down," she said quietly. A pang of fear
again came to her heart, that in another minute or two he
would be off to Mountain Spring. But his next movement
negatived that. It was to take her basket, which she had till
then trie