way special,--but in the
meantime she was suffering an agony of trouble. He did not care for
her in the least. She was becoming sure of that. She had given all
her love to a man who had none to give her in return. As she thought
of this she almost longed for the offer of that which she knew she
could not have accepted had it been offered to her. But she talked
on about the scenery, about the weather,--descanting on the pleasure
of living where such loveliness was within reach. Then there came a
pause for a moment. "Nora," said Priscilla, "I do not know what you
are thinking about, but it is not of the beauty of Niddon Park." Then
there came a faint sound as of an hysterical sob, and then a gurgle
in the throat, and then a pretence at laughter.

"I don't believe I am thinking of anything at all," said Nora.

After which Hugh insisted on descending to the bank of the river,
but, as the necessity of re-climbing the slope was quite manifest,
none of the girls would go with him. "Come, Miss Rowley," said he,
"will you not show them that a lady can go up and down a hill as well
as a man?"

"I had rather not go up and down the hill," said she.

Then he understood that she was angry with him; and in some sort
surmised the cause of her anger. Not that he believed that she loved
him; but it seemed possible to him that she resented the absence of
his attention. He went down, and scrambled out on the rocks into
the bed of the river, while the girls above looked down upon him,
watching the leaps that he made. Priscilla and Mrs. Trevelyan called
to him, bidding him beware; but Nora called not at all. He was
whistling as he made his jumps, but still he heard their voices, and
knew that he did not hear Nora's voice. He poised himself on the edge
of a rock in the middle of the stream, and looked up the river and
down the river, turning himself carefully on his narrow foothold; but
he was thinking only of Nora. Could there be anything nobler than to
struggle on with her, if she only would be willing? But then she was
young; and should she yield to such a request from him, she would not
know what she was yielding. He turned again, jumping from rock to
rock till he reached the bank, and then made his way again up to the
withered oak.

"You would not have repented it if you had come down with me," he
said to Nora.

"I am not so sure of that," she answered.

When they started to return she stepped on gallantly with Priscilla;
but