He held out his hand for the sketch.

"All right, then. You shall be my inspiration."

She laughed lightly.

"Till that nice little woman turns up."

"Exactly," said Rivington.

He continued to hold out his hand, but she withheld the sketch.

"I'm going to keep it, if you don't mind."

"What for?" he said.

"Because I like it. I want it. Why shouldn't I?"

"I will do you something better worth having than that," he said.

"Something I shouldn't like half so well," she returned. "No, I'm going
to keep this, in memory of a perfect afternoon and some of the happiest
days of my life."

Rivington gave in, still smiling.

"I'm going back to town to-morrow," he said.

"Oh, are you?" Actual dismay sounded in her voice. "Why?"

"I'm afraid I must," he said. "I'm sorry. Shall you be lonely?"

"Oh, no," she rejoined briskly. "Of course not. I wasn't lonely before
you came." She added rather wistfully, "It was good of you to stay so
long; I hope you haven't been very bored?"

"Not a bit," said Rivington. "I've only been afraid of boring you."

She laughed a little. A certain constraint seemed to have fallen upon
her.

"How horribly polite we are getting!" she said.

He laid his hand for an instant on her shoulder.

"I shall come again, Chirpy," he said.

She nodded carelessly, not looking at him.

"Yes, mind you do. I dare say I shan't be having any other visitors at
present."

But though her manner was perfectly friendly, Rivington was conscious of
that unwonted constraint during the rest of his visit. He even fancied
on the morrow that she bade him farewell with relief.

VIII

THE MEETING IN THE MARKET-PLACE

Two days later, Ernestine drove with the miller's wife to market at
Rington, five miles distant. She had never seen a country market, and
her interest was keen. They started after an early breakfast on an
exquisite summer morning. And Ernestine carried with her a letter which
she had that day received from Rivington.

"Dear Chirpy," it ran, "I hasten to write and tell you that now I am
back in town again I am most hideously bored. I am, however, negotiating
for a studio, which fact ought to earn for me your valued approval. If,
for any reason, my presence should seem desirable to you, write or wire,
and I shall come immediately.--Your devoted

"KNIGHT ERRANT."

Ernestine squeezed this letter a good many times on the way to Rington.
She had certainly been feeling somewhat forl