endure, but to enjoy--to take a little of
the natural pleasures of her age--came to the poor governess very sorely,
especially on days such as this, when all the outward world looked so
gay, so idle, and she worked so hard.

So did Robert Roy. Life was not easier to him than to herself; she knew
that; and when he said, half joking, as if he wanted to feel his way,
"Let us imitate our boys, and take a half holiday," she only laughed, but
did not refuse.

How could she refuse? There were the long smooth sands on either side
the Eden, stretching away into indefinite distance, with not a human
being upon them to break their loneliness, or, if there was, he or she
looked a mere dot, not human at all. Even if these two had been afraid
of being seen walking together--which they hardly were, being too
unimportant for any one to care whether they were friends or lovers, or
what not--there was nobody to see them, except in the character of two
black dots on the yellow sands.

"It is low water; suppose we go and look for sea-anemones. One of my
pupils wants some, and I promised to try and find one the first spare
hour I had."

"But we shall not find anemones on the sands."

"Shells, then, you practical woman! We'll gather shells. It will be
all the same to that poor invalid boy--and to me," added he, with that
involuntary sigh which she had noticed more than once, and which had
begun to strike on her ears not quite painfully. Sighs, when we are
young, mean differently to what they do in after-years. "I don't care
very much where I go, or what I do; I only want--well, to be happy for
an hour, if Providence will let me."

"Why should not Providence let you?" said Fortune, gently. "Few people
deserve it more."

"You are kind to think so; but you are always kind to every body."

By this time they had left their position by the laurel bush, and were
walking along side by side, according as he had suggested. This silent,
instinctive acquiescence in what he wished done--it had happened once or
twice before, startling her a little at herself; for, as I have said,
Miss Williams was not at all the kind of person to do every thing that
every body asked her, without considering whether it was right or wrong.
She could obey, but it would depend entirely upon whom she had to obey,
which, indeed, makes the sole difference between loving disciples and
slavish fools.

It was a lovely day, one of those serene autumn days pecul