and you shan't steal this from him,
whatever else you may do, Miss."

SOPHY.--"Indeed, Mr. Fairthorn, it was for Mr. Darrell's sake that I
wished to make friends with the doe--as you would with poor Sir Isaac,
if you would but try and like me--a little, only a very little, Mr.
Fairthorn."

FAIRTHORN.--"Don't!"

SOPHY.--"Don't what? I am so sorry to see I have annoyed you somehow.
You have not been the same person to me the last two or three days. Tell
me what I have done wrong; scold me, but make it up."

FAIRTHORN.--"Don't holdout your hand to me! Don't be smiling in my face!
I don't choose it! Get out of my sight! You are standing between me and
the old house--robbing me even of my last looks at the home which you--"

SOPHY.--"Which I--what?"

FAIRTHORN.--"Don't, I say, don't--don't tempt me. You had better not ask
questions--that's all. I shall tell you the truth; I know I shall; my
tongue is itching to tell it. Please to walk on."

Despite the grotesque manner and astounding rudeness of the
flute-player, his distress of mind was so evident--there was something
so genuine and earnest at the bottom of his ludicrous anger--that Sopby
began to feel a vague presentiment of evil. That she was the mysterious
cause of some great suffering to this strange enemy, whom she had
unconsciously provoked, was clear; and she said, therefore, with more
gravity than she had before evinced:

"Mr. Fairthorn, tell me how I have incurred your displeasure, I entreat
you to do so; no matter how painful the truth may be, it is due to us
both not to conceal it."

A ray of hope darted through Fairthorn's enraged and bewildered mind. He
looked to the right--he looked to the left; no one near. Releasing his
hold on the doe, he made a sidelong dart towards Sophy, and said: "Hush;
do you really care what becomes of Mr. Darrell?"

"To be sure I do."

"You would not wish him to die broken-hearted in a foreign land--that
old house levelled to the ground and buried in the lake? Eh, Miss--eh?"

"How can you ask me such questions?" said Sophy, faintly. "Do speak
plainly, and at once."

"Well, I will, Miss. I believe you are a good young lady, after all--and
don't wish really to bring disgrace upon all who want to keep you in the
dark, and--"

"Disgrace!" interrupted Sopby; and her pure spirit rose, and the soft
blue eye flashed a ray like a shooting-star.

"No, I am sure you would not like it; and some time or other you could
not he