ry fox in the Rufford and Ufford country." This was
heard, spoken in most angry tones by Captain Glomax, as the Colonel
and Ayala joined the rest of the party.

CHAPTER LI.

"NO!"

Ayala, on her return from the walk to the wood, spent the remainder
of the afternoon in tears. During the walk she kept close to Sir
Harry, pretending to listen to the arguments about the fox, but she
said nothing. Her ears were really intent on endeavouring to catch
the tones of her lover's voice as he went on in front of them talking
to Nina. Nothing could be more pleasant than the sound as he said a
word or two now and again, encouraging Nina in her rhapsodies as to
Lord George and all Lord George's family. But Ayala learned nothing
from that. She had come to know the man well enough to be aware that
he could tune his voice to the occasion, and could hide his feelings
let them be ever so strong. She did not doubt his love now. She did
not doubt but that at this moment his heart was heavy with rejected
love. She quite believed in him. But nevertheless his words were
pleasant and kind as he encouraged Nina.

Nor did she doubt her own love. She was alone in her room that
afternoon till she told herself at last the truth. Oh, yes; she loved
him. She was sure of that. But now he was gone! Why had she been
so foolish? Then it seemed as though at that moment the separation
took place between herself and the spirit which had haunted her. She
seemed to know now,--now at this very moment,--that the man was too
good for her. The knowledge had been coming to her. It had almost
come when he had spoken to her in the wood. If it could only have
been that he should have delayed his appeal to her yet for another
day or two! She thought now that if he could have delayed it but
for a few hours the cure would have been complete. If he had talked
to her as he so well knew how to talk while they were in the wood
together, while they were walking home,--so as to have exorcised the
spirit from her by the sweetness of his words,--and then have told
her that there was his love to have if she chose to have it, then she
thought she would have taken it. But he had come to her while those
words which she had prepared under the guidance of the spirit were
yet upon her tongue. "I cannot," she had said. "I cannot." But she
had not told him that she did not love him.

"I did love him," she said to herself, almost acknowledging that
the spirit had been wholly