ould all come as a matter of course. Yon would be
busy with your nets, and have no time to think of her."

"But she might think of me."

"Oh, well, perhaps she might now and then; but she would have her house
to look after, and all her friends would be near her."

"On stormy nights," said Robert, musingly.

"How very serious you are! Such a lovely day, too--a nice time to be
talking about stormy nights! Of course there are stormy nights, but the
boats can run into harbour, and if they cannot, the men are not always
drowned."

"Certainly not; how foolish, and to think of coming home after five or
six weeks on the Doggerbank--oh me! But here is the very rock where we
sat the other morning. I am sure you are tired, let us sit down again;
your hair is not dry yet."

They sat down.

"It is quite wet still," and Robert ventured to touch it, putting his
hand underneath it.

"An awful plague it is! Horrid sandy-coloured stuff, and such a nuisance
in the water! I think I shall have it cut short."

"I am sure you won't. Sandy-coloured! it is beautiful."

Miss Shipton tossed her parasol about, shaking her hair loose from his
fingers.

"When it is spread out in the sunshine," said Robert, as he separated a
little piece of it between his fingers, "the sun shows its varying
shades. How lovely they are!" His hand went a little higher, till it
touched the back of her neck.

"On stormy nights.--on stormy nights," he almost whispered, "I should
think of you if you did not think of me."

The hand went a little farther under the hair, his head inclined to it,
and he was intoxicated with its own rich scent mingled with, that of the
sweet sea-water. He trembled with emotion from head to foot. What is
there in life like this? Old as creation, ever new; and under the almost
tropical sun, fronting the ocean, in the full heat of youth, he drew her
head to his. She yielded, and in a moment his eyes and mouth were buried
in her loose-clustering tresses. Before, however, he could say another
word he was interrupted. A sheep, feeding above them, alarmed by a
stranger's approach, rushed down past them; and hastily recovering
himself, Robert looked up. There was nobody, but he saw that they were
near his house, and that his father, who had just come to the window, was
looking down straight upon them. Miss Shipton immediately said that it
was late, rose, and walked homewards; and Robert alone went up the cliff.
Michae