anor. Now you can ask him yourself whatever you
like."

Eleanor felt startled. But it was with such a pleasant face that Mr.
Rhys came up, such a cordial grasp of the hand greeted her, that the
feeling vanished immediately. Perhaps that hand-clasp was all the
warmer for Eleanor's changed appearance. She was very unlike the girl
of superb health who had wandered over the old priory grounds a few
weeks before. Eleanor's colour was gone; the blue veins shewed
distinctly on the temples; the full lips, instead of their brilliant
gay smile, had a languid and much soberer line. She made quite a
different impression now, of a fair delicate young creature, who had
lost and felt she had lost the proud strength in which she had been so
luxuriant a little while before. Mr. Rhys looked at her attentively.

"You have been very ill, Miss Powle."

"I suppose I have--some of the time."

"I am rejoiced to see you well again."

"Thank you."

"Julia has been leading me over the garden and grounds. I did not know
where she was bringing me."

"How do you like my garden?"

"For a garden of that sort--it seems to me well arranged."

He was very cool, certainly, in giving his opinion, Eleanor thought.
Her gardening pride was touched. This was a pet of her own.

"Then you do not fancy gardens of this sort."

"I believe I think Nature is the best artist of all."

"But would you let Nature have her own way entirely?"

"No more in the vegetable than I would in the moral world. She would
grow weeds."

The quick clear sense and decision, in the eye and accent, were just
what Eleanor did not want to cope with. She was silent. So were her two
companions; for Julia was busy with a nosegay she was making up. Then
Mr. Rhys turned to Eleanor,

"Julia said you had a question to ask of me, Miss Powle."

"Yes, I had,"--said Eleanor, colouring slightly and hesitating. "But
you cannot answer it standing--will you come in, Mr. Rhys?"

"Thank you--if you will allow me, I will take this instead," said he,
sitting down on one of the steps before the glass door. "What was the
question?"

"That was the other day, when she brought in her ferns--it was a wish I
had. But she ought not to have troubled you with it."

"It will give me great pleasure to answer you--if I can."

Eleanor half fancied he knew what the question was; and she hesitated
again, feeling a good deal confused. But when should she have another
chance? She made a bold push.