itself down under her hand.

"You brought the light of the world," he said, and caught her hand and
held it. There was a silence. A fisherman passing along the sea-wall
gave them good-day. "What made you come to Lymchurch?" he said
presently, and his hand lay lightly on hers. She hesitated, and looked
down at her hand and his.

"I knew you were here," she said. His eyes met hers. "I always meant to
see you again some day. And you knew me at once. That was so nice of
you."

"You have not changed," he said; "your face has not changed, only you
are older, and----"

"I'm twenty-two; you needn't reproach me with it. Yours is the same to a
month."

He moved on his elbow a little nearer to her.

"Has it ever occurred to you," he asked, looking out to sea, "that you
and I were made for each other?"

"No; never."

He looked out to sea still, and his face clouded heavily.

"Ah--no--don't look like that, dear; it never occurred to me--I think I
must have always known it somehow, only----"

"Only what?--do you really?--only what?" A silence. Then, "Only what?"
he asked again.

"Only I was so afraid it would never occur to _you_!"

There was no one on the wide, bare sands save the discreet artist--their
faces were very near.

"We shall be very, very poor, I'm afraid," he said presently.

"I can go on teaching."

"No"--his voice was decided--"my wife shan't work--at least not anywhere
but in our home. You won't mind playing at love in a cottage for a bit,
will you? I shall get on now I've something to work for. Oh, my dear,
thank God I've enough for the cottage! When will you marry me? We've
nothing to wait for, no relations to consult, no settlements to draw up.
All that's mine is thine, lassie."

"And all that's mine--Oh! Stephen!"

For, with a scattering of shingle, a man dropped from the sea-wall two
yards from them.

The situation admitted of no disguise, for Miss Rainham's head was on Mr
Dornington's shoulder. They sprang up.

"Why, Stephen!" echoed Andrew, "this--this is good of you! You remember
Rosamund? We have just found out that----" But Rosamund had turned, and
was walking quickly away over the sand.

Stephen filled a pipe and lighted it before he said: "You've made good
use of your time, old man. I congratulate you." His tone was cold.

"There is no reason why I should not make good use of my time,"
Dornington answered, and his tone had caught the chill of the other's.

"None whatever. You