a; please excuse us.'

'He was surprised to see you?' said Nancy, after reflecting.

'He said so. But--I forgot to tell you--in a letter to Mrs. Baker I
spoke of our plans. She had written to me to propose a pupil for after
the holidays.--Perhaps she didn't mention it to Mr. Tarrant.'

'Evidently not!' Nancy exclaimed, with some impatience. 'Why should you
doubt his word?'

'I can't help thinking'--Jessica smiled archly--'that he has come just
to meet--somebody.'

'Somebody? Who do you mean?' asked her friend, with a look of sincere
astonishment.

'I may be mistaken'--a glance completed the suggestion.

'Rubbish!'

For the rest of that day the subject was unmentioned. Nancy kept rather
to herself, and seemed meditative. Next morning she was in the same
mood. The tide served for a bathe at eleven o'clock; afterwards, as
the girls walked briskly to and fro near the seat where Mrs. Morgan had
established herself with a volume of Browning,--Jessica insisted on her
reading Browning, though the poor mother protested that she scarcely
understood a word,--they came full upon the unmistakable presence of Mr.
Lionel Tarrant. Miss. Morgan, in acknowledging his salute, offered her
hand; it was by her that the young man had stopped. Miss. Lord only bent
her head, and that slightly. Tarrant expected more, but his half-raised
hand dropped in time, and he directed his speech to Jessica. He had
nothing to say but what seemed natural and civil; the dialogue--Nancy
remained mute--occupied but a few minutes, and Tarrant went his way,
sauntering landwards.

As Mrs. Morgan had observed the meeting, it was necessary to offer her
an explanation. But Jessica gave only the barest facts concerning their
acquaintance, and Nancy spoke as though she hardly knew him.

The weather was oppressively hot; in doors or out, little could be done
but sit or lie in enervated attitudes, a state of things accordant with
Nancy's mood. Till late at night she watched the blue starry sky from
her open window, seeming to reflect, but in reality wafted on a stream
of fancies and emotions. Jessica's explanation of the arrival of Lionel
Tarrant had strangely startled her; no such suggestion would have
occurred to her own mind. Yet now, she only feared that it might not
be true. A debilitating climate and absolute indolence favoured that
impulse of lawless imagination which had first possessed her on the
evening of Jubilee Day. With luxurious heedlessness sh