ink not indeed," she said, clinging to him and looking up in
his face. "Do you know what my cous--I mean a friend, said to me on that
subject?"

"You mean your cousin John, whom you are always quoting. Let's hear what
the fellow said."

"He said--that I wasn't a girl to put up with much, Phil. That I wasn't
one of the patient kind, that I would not bear---- I don't know what it
was I would not bear; but you see you must consider my defects, which
you can understand well enough, whether I can understand yours or not."

"That you could not put up with--that you could not bear? that meant me,
Nell. He had been talking to you on the same subject, me and my faults.
Why didn't you listen to him? I suppose he wanted you to have him
instead of me."

"Phil! how dare you even think of such a thing? It is not true."

"Wasn't it? Then he is a greater fool than I took him for, and his
opinion's no good. So you're a spitfire, are you? Can't put up with
anything that doesn't suit you? I don't know that I should have found
that out."

"I am afraid though that it is true," she said, half-laughingly looking
up at him. "Perhaps you will want to reconsider too."

"If you don't want it any more than I want it, Nell---- What's that?" he
cried hastily, changing his expression and attitude in a moment. "Is
that one of your neighbours at the gate?"

Elinor looked round, starting away a little from his side, and saw some
one--a man she had never seen before--approaching along the path. She
was just about to say she did not know who it was when Phil, to her
astonishment, stepped past her, advancing to meet the newcomer. But as
he did so he put out his hand and caught her as he passed, leading her
along with him.

"Mind what I said, and stick to me," he said, in a whisper; then--

"Stanfield!" he cried with an air of perfect ease and cordiality, yet
astonishment. "I thought it looked like you, but I could not believe my
eyes."

"Mr. Compton!" said the other. "So you are here. I have been hunting
after you all over the place. I heard only this morning this was a
likely spot."

"A very likely spot!" said Phil. "I suppose you know the good reason I
have for being in these parts. Elinor, this is Mr. Stanfield, who has to
do with our company, don't you know. But I say, Stanfield, what's all
this row in the papers? Is it true that Brown's bolted? I should have
taken the first train to see if I could help; but my private affairs are
most