deuce of a bore,--a terrible bore." And there was that
in the tone of his voice which grated on her feelings, and made her
wretched for the moment.

As he parted with her for the night on her own side of the little
bridge which led from one garden to the other, he put his arm round
her to embrace her and kiss her, as he had often done at that spot.
It had become a habit with them to say their evening farewells there,
and the secluded little nook amongst the shrubs was inexpressibly
dear to Lily. But on the present occasion she made an effort to avoid
his caress. She turned from him--very slightly, but it was enough,
and he felt it. "Are you angry with me?" he said. "Oh, no! Adolphus;
how can I be angry with you?" And then she turned to him and gave him
her face to kiss almost before he had again asked for it. "He shall
not at any rate think that I am unkind to him,--and it will not
matter now," she said to herself, as she walked slowly across the
lawn, in the dark, up to her mother's drawing-room window.

"Well, dearest," said Mrs Dale, who was there alone; "did the beards
wag merry in the Great Hall this evening?" That was a joke with them,
for neither Crosbie nor Bernard Dale used a razor at his toilet.

"Not specially merry. And I think it was my fault, for I have a
headache. Mamma, I believe I will go at once to bed."

"My darling, is there anything wrong?"

"Nothing, mamma. But we had such a long ride; and then Adolphus is
going, and of course we have so much to say. To-morrow will be the
last day, for I shall only just see him on Wednesday morning; and as
I want to be well, if possible, I'll go to bed." And so she took her
candle and went.

When Bell came up, Lily was still awake, but she begged her sister
not to disturb her. "Don't talk to me, Bell," she said. "I'm trying
to make myself quiet, and I half feel that I should get childish if
I went on talking. I have almost more to think of than I know how to
manage." And she strove, not altogether unsuccessfully, to speak with
a cheery tone, as though the cares which weighed upon her were not
unpleasant in their nature. Then her sister kissed her and left her
to her thoughts.

And she had great matter for thinking; so great, that many hours
sounded in her ears from the clock on the stairs before she brought
her thoughts to a shape that satisfied herself. She did so bring them
at last, and then she slept. She did so bring them, toiling over her
work with te