le of a generous
type pick up from newspapers and magazines. She had touched his family
pride for an instant; but only for an instant. What he was abidingly
conscious of, was of a beautiful wild creature struggling with
difficulties in which he was somehow himself concerned, and out of
which, in some way or other, he was becoming more and more
determined--absurdly determined--to help her.

"Oh! no doubt the world will do very well without us some day," he said
lightly, in answer to her tirade; "no one is indispensable. But are you
so sure, Miss Boyce, you believe in your own creed? I thought I had
observed--pardon me for saying it--on the two or three occasions we have
met, some degenerate signs of individualism? You take pleasure in the
old place, you say; you were delighted to come and live where your
ancestors lived before you; you are full of desires to pull these poor
people out of the mire in your own way. No! I don't feel that you are
thorough-going!"

Marcella paused a frowning moment, then broke suddenly into a delightful
laugh--a laugh of humorous confession, which changed her whole look and
mood.

"Is that all you have noticed? If you wish to know, Mr. Raeburn, I love
the labourers for touching their hats to me. I love the school children
for bobbing to me. I love my very self--ridiculous as _you_ may think
it--for being Miss Boyce of Mellor!"

"Don't say things like that, please!" he interrupted; "I think I have
not deserved them."

His tone made her repent her gibe. "No, indeed, you have been most kind
to me," she cried. "I don't know how it is. I am bitter and personal in
a moment--when I don't mean to be. Yes! you are quite right. I am proud
of it all. If nobody comes to see us, and we are left all alone out in
the cold, I shall still have room enough to be proud in--proud of the
old house and our few bits of pictures, and the family papers, and the
beeches! How absurd it would seem to other people, who have so much
more! But I have had so little--so _little_!" Her voice had a hungry
lingering note. "And as for the people, yes, I am proud too that they
like me, and that already I can influence them. Oh, I will do my best
for them, my _very best_! But it will be hard, very hard, if there is
no one to help me!"

She heaved a long sigh. In spite of the words, what she had said did not
seem to be an appeal for his pity. Rather there was in it a sweet
self-dedicating note as of one going sadly alone to