ith an air of enjoyment, as though her new title amused her. "Old
maids can be very nice, can they not, Mr. Herrick?"

They were sitting down by the Pool, and Dinah had just left them at
Elizabeth's suggestion to tell the servants that they would have tea
there, and to answer a business note. The afternoon was sultry, more
like August than September; but down by the Pool there was a pleasant
shade and coolness. As usual, all the dogs were grouped round them; and
Elizabeth, in spite of her thirty-one years, looked quite youthful in
her white gown. A dark velvety Cramoisie rose nestled against her full
throat. Malcolm remembered suddenly that he had noticed that special
rose in the garden of the White Cottage when he last dined at the
vicarage; he wondered with a sudden fierce prick of jealousy if that
fellow Carlyon knew it was her birthday, and had brought it to her. At
the idea there was a dangerous throbbing of his pulses.

The previous evening he had strolled across to the Wood House in the
hope that Elizabeth would be in one of her gracious moods, and then he
could coax her to sing to him. But to his disappointment his visit had
seemed less welcome than usual; and though Dinah received him with her
wonted gentle courtesy, he had a vague suspicion that something was
amiss. Dinah looked as though she had been shedding tears, and
Elizabeth's face was flushed, and she was very silent; if he had not
known them so well, and their intense love for each other, he would
almost have suspected that there had been a warm altercation between
them, but this was manifestly impossible.

No, they had never quarrelled even in their childish days, he
remembered Elizabeth had once told him that, and assuredly they never
quarrelled now. Nevertheless, there was something troubled in the
atmosphere, and even Dinah seemed to find it difficult to talk.

Malcolm raged inwardly over his disappointment, but he had too much
tact to prolong his visit. He was rewarded for his forbearance when
Dinah said in her gentle way, "I am afraid we are rather stupid
to-night, Mr. Herrick; Elizabeth is tired, and--and--we have been
talking for hours; if you look in to-morrow afternoon we will promise
to behave better." But though Elizabeth did not endorse this, Malcolm
accepted this invitation with undisguised pleasure.

But his satisfaction would have been sadly damped if he had overheard
Elizabeth's speech. "Why did you ask him, Die? You know"--hesitat