be going," she said. "I've got to visit an old woman who's
dying. A rector's daughter, you know--"

"Ah! yes."

Then Jenny mounted from a rock (Lady Richard held the mare's head and
settled the habit), and rode slowly away downhill.

(III)

Dick approached the Rectory next day a little before twelve o'clock with
as much excitement in his heart as he ever permitted to himself.

Dick is a good fellow--I haven't a word to say against him, except
perhaps that he used to think that to be a Guiseley, and to have
altogether sixteen hundred a year and to live in a flat in St. James's,
and to possess a pointed brown beard and melancholy brown eyes and a
reposeful manner, relieved him from all further effort. I have wronged
him, however; he had made immense efforts to be proficient at billiards,
and had really succeeded; and, since his ultimate change of fortune, has
embraced even further responsibilities in a conscientious manner.

Of course, he had been in love before in a sort of way; but this was
truly different. He wished to marry Jenny very much indeed.... That she
was remarkably sensible, really beautiful and eminently presentable, of
course, paved the way; but, if I understand the matter rightly, these
were not the only elements in the case. It was the genuine thing. He did
not quite know how he would face the future if she refused him; and he
was sufficiently humble to be in doubt.

The neat maid told him at the door that Miss Launton had given
directions that he was to be shown into the garden if he came.... No;
Miss Launton was in the morning-room, but she should be told at once. So
Dick strolled across the lawn and sat down by the garden table.

He looked at the solemn, dreaming house in the late summer sunshine; he
observed a robin issue out from a lime tree and inspect him sideways;
and then another robin issue from another lime tree and drive the first
one away. Then he noticed a smear of dust on his own left boot, and
flicked it off with a handkerchief. Then, as he put his handkerchief
away again, he saw Jenny coming out from the drawing-room window.

She looked really extraordinarily beautiful as she came slowly across
towards him and he stood to meet her. She was bare-headed, but her face
was shadowed by the great coils of hair. She was in a perfectly plain
pink dress, perfectly cut, and she carried herself superbly. She looked
just a trifle paler than yesterday, he thought, and there was a very
res