riends say to your
marrying a rough miner?"

"What," replied she, "will your friends say if you prove foolish enough
to marry a simple English girl, whose horizon is bounded by Devonshire
and London?"

His response was: "My adored one!"

Then she crept nearer him, and with serious accent said: "My love, if
happily our lives shall be united, whom will it be for, our friends or
ourselves? I will tell you. If ever I shall be permitted to become so
blessed as to be your wife, it will be with the thought in my heart that
we are all in all to each other in this world, and in the world to come."

"In this world and in the world to come," he repeated; and then, with
bowed head, in a whisper, he added: "May I be worthy of such a blessing,
and God spare to me my idol, that I may praise Him evermore."

And then they began to talk in earnest. One hour like that is due to
every mortal; no mortal can have more than one such an hour, no matter
how long may be his life.

Later they came directly to the subject of their marriage. They agreed
that, if possible, it should be on the same day that Jack and Rose should
be married. But Sedgwick mentioned Mrs. Hamlin's desire that for the
present no one should know of his love or of hers (if it should be
returned), and said he believed it best not to mention their relations
until the wedding day of Rose and Jack drew near.

Grace agreed with him, except that Rose must be told, saying she would
find it out even if the attempt were made to conceal it from her, and
added: "Jack and Rose are completely absorbed in each other. They will be
with each other most of the time. My father is absent all day, and until
late at night. My mother is good, and will not much disturb us. I can
look in your eyes every day, kiss you sometimes, and feel your presence
like a robust spirit near me all the time." Then, suddenly pausing for an
instant, she again broke out with, "Oh, how happy I am; it seems as
though my heart would break with its ecstasy!" and, springing up, she ran
to the piano, and sang a song which filled the room with melody, and
caused a linnet that was asleep on her perch to awaken and join her
trills to the song.

CHAPTER XI.

GOING TO EPSOM DOWNS.

The next morning early the young couples started for Epsom Downs.
Browning had engaged a carriage to take them, and they started a little
after daylight. Early as it was, the procession which annually empties
London to witness th