er a straw hat doubtless of her own plaiting;
for, as a general rule, nothing more educates the village maid for the
destinies of flirt than the accomplishment of straw-plaiting. She had
large, soft blue eyes, delicate small features, and a complexion more
clear in its healthful bloom than rural beauties generally retain
against the influences of wind and sun. She smiled and slightly coloured
as he gazed on her, and, lifting her eyes, gave him one gentle, trustful
glance, which might have bewitched a philosopher and deceived a _roue_.
And yet Kenelm by that intuitive knowledge of character which is often
truthfulest where it is least disturbed by the doubts and cavils of
acquired knowledge, felt at once that in that girl's mind coquetry,
perhaps unconscious, was conjoined with an innocence of anything
worse than coquetry as complete as a child's. He bowed his head, in
withdrawing his gaze, and took her into his heart as tenderly as if she
had been a child appealing to it for protection.

"Certainly," he said inly, "certainly I must lick Tom Bowles; yet stay,
perhaps after all she likes him."

"But," he continued aloud, "you do not see how I can be of any service
to you. Before I explain, let me ask which of the men in the field is
Tom Bowles?"

"Tom Bowles?" exclaimed Jessie, in a tone of surprise and alarm, and
turning pale as she looked hastily round; "you frightened me, sir: but
he is not here; he does not work in the fields. But how came you to hear
of Tom Bowles?"

"Dine with me and I'll tell you. Look, there is a quiet place in yon
corner under the thorn-trees by that piece of water. See, they are
leaving off work: I will go for a can of beer, and then, pray, let me
join you there."

Jessie paused for a moment as if doubtful still; then again glancing at
Kenelm, and assured by the grave kindness of his countenance, uttered a
scarce audible assent and moved away towards the thorn-trees.

As the sun now stood perpendicularly over their heads, and the hand
of the clock in the village church tower, soaring over the hedgerows,
reached the first hour after noon, all work ceased in a sudden silence:
some of the girls went back to their homes; those who stayed grouped
together, apart from the men, who took their way to the shadows of a
large oak-tree in the hedgerow, where beer kegs and cans awaited them.

CHAPTER XI.

"AND now," said Kenelm, as the two young persons, having finished their
simple repast, sat