Year: 1874

selves on two of the hard wooden chairs and
prepared to do honor to the feast, which, if
served in homely style, afforded no ground
for dissatisfaction in regard to its intrinsic
merits. The only drawback lay in the prox.
unity of a number of hornets, which buzzed
perseveringly about their plates, apparently
anxious to contest with them each delicate
mouthfll but Ellinor, whatever annoyance
she felt, betrayed it no farther than in all oc'
casional pink flush which suffused the tips Of
her ears, whenever one came dangerously near


"And now, Mrs. Barnes she said, when
they rose from their seats, 'may l come out
with you moment, please, and talk about
the preserves ??


"Certainly, ma'am-just step this way
Miss Ellinor, and I'll show you what nice
lot of scuppanongs I've got this season.
dunno as I ever had such crop before; they
beat last years all holler, and I had good
sight of 'em, then. Would the gentleman
like to take look at the orchard, too"


The gentleman preferred returning to look
after the horse, which had grown somewhat
restive at the delay; and while Ellinor was
discussing business with Mrs. Barnes, he paced
up and down in front of the little gate, re-
volving very seriously, in his mind, the posi-
BILE consequences of the important step he had
decided to take. At one moment, the hope
that his suit would be rejected brought him
sense of relief; at the next, the recollection OF
the many difficulties such a result would entail
upon him, made him revoke his wish that it
should be so.


Presently Ellinor came out, and he helped
her into the buggy with feeling that the
crisis was near, and he must brace his nerves
to meet it. Ellnor, more at her ease than
usual, sustained the conversation for few
minutes with very little assistance from her
companion, until suddenly becoming aware
that he was making very abstracted replies,
she desisted from her praiseworthy efforts and
relapsed into her wonted silence and con-
straint


"Miss Hollingwood-" Sydney felt that it
was useless to defer the inevitable any longer
he spoke with an immense effort, and kept his
eyes steadily fixed on distant point in the
road before him, with vague thought of get
ting his task over before he could reach it.
81 think I can find no more fitting opportu'
nifty than this to say what-what has been
uppermost in my mind ever since came
here"


"It's coming" thought Ellinor; and squeez-
ing her hands together under her lace shawl,
she fortified herself to the best Of her ability
against the impending trial. 1t was some
satisfaction to her, even in that moment of ap-
prehension, to observe that he spoke of his
mind and not of his heart


Il need scarcely tell you," Sydney went on,
"what has been the chief object-indeed the
only object-of my visit here, since the way
was kindly prepared for me by those who gave
me their good wishes for its accomplishment.
I have deferred speaking Of it until now, be-
cause 1 wished first, if possible, to form some
estimate of my chances of success-although,
in any case, could not leave without hearing
from your own lips the decision on which my
fate depends"


"Not a word oflove," thought Ellinor, and
she began to breathe more freely. Ills EN-
barrassment-w strive as he would, he
could not quite conceal-served somehow to
raise her courage.


II will not pretend to misunderstood you,
she replied in low voice, "because | have
been informed of the family compact, the
terms of which you are now dutifully trying
to carry into effect"


"Dmituly trying" he repeated, with a
hasty glance toward her, which, however, she
did not meet cam to understand that you
think that am impelled only by duty?"


EYES," said Ellinor candidly. Then half
fearing she had spoken too bluntly, she added
with bright blush, as she timidy raised her
eyes to his face, "You must forgive me, Mr..
Temple, but think the only right way is for
us to be sincere with each other in this matter


Amazing temerity! Ellinor could scarce
ly realize that it was her own self venturing
tospeak thus, but necessity gave her boldness,
and she felt that the sooner all indecision was
ended the better it would be for them both.


Sydney reddened in his turn.


II hope you give me credit for being sin
cere," he rejoined.


II think you are sincerely anxious to do all
that is right" said Ellnor, "but am afraid
you may have been misled-may have formed
a wrong idea of-of what was expected-l
mean," she added, becoming dreadfully con-
fused at her inability to find suitable form
of words "you may have been led to do this
on an erroneous supposition. | was anxious
from the first to have you understand it
clearly"


"To understand what, Miss Hollingwood ?"


"That it was useless for you to come-I
mean, of course, on that account"


"Do you tell me now that it was useless ?"


EYES," said Ellinor, speaking with more
selfpossessiou, now that there was something
definite for her to reply to. 81 told my grand
father so from the 6rst-I was unwilling to
have you think differently"


Colonel Holingwood wrote something 20
that effect to my uncle" said Sydney, lightly
touching the horse, with feeling curiously
compounded of disappointment and relief.
"But you cannot blame me for wishing to put
my cause to the issue. 1 could not accept an
uncertainty, you know, in so important a
matter"