e, and being fond
of books and leisure, and rather delicate in health, had established
himself in the house, which had taken his fancy. There were some
fifteen hundred acres of land attached, divided up into several small
farms.

Miss Merry was filled with a reverential sort of adoration of Mrs.
Graves; "the most wonderful person, I assure you! I always feel she is
rather thrown away in this remote place."

"But she likes it?" said Howard.

"Yes, she likes everything," said Miss Merry. "She makes everyone feel
happy: she says very little, but you feel somehow that all is right if
she is there. It's a great privilege, Mr. Kennedy, to be with her; I
feel that more and more every day."

This artless praise pleased Howard. When he was left alone he got out
his papers; but he found himself restless in a pleasant way; he
strolled through the garden. It was a singular place, of great extent;
the lawn was carefully kept, but behind the screen of shrubs the garden
extended far up the valley beside the river in a sort of wilderness;
and he could see by the clumps of trees and the grassy mounds that it
must have once been a great formal pleasaunce, which had been allowed
to follow its own devices; at the far end of it, beside the stream,
there was a long flagged terrace, with a stone balustrade looking down
upon the stream, and beyond that the woods closed in. He left the
garden and followed the stream up the valley; the downs here drew in
and became steeper, till he came at last to one of the most lovely
places he thought he had ever set eyes upon. The stream ended suddenly
in a great clear pool, among a clump of old sycamores; the water rose
brimming out of the earth, and he could see the sand fountains rising
and falling at the bottom of the basin; by the side of it was a broad
stone seat, with carved back and ends. There was not a house in sight;
beyond there was only the green valley-end running up into the down,
which was here densely covered with thickets. It was perfectly still;
and the only sound was the liquid springing of the water in the pool,
and the birds singing in the bushes. Howard had a sudden sense that the
place held a significance for him. Had he been there before, in some
dream or vision? He could not tell; but it was strangely familiar to
him. Even so the trees had leaned together, and the clear ripples
pulsed upon the bank. Something strange and beautiful had befallen him
there. What was it? The mind c