tenderness lay a volcano of passionate determination, which was
generally kept down by her affections, but was just as likely to be
maddened by them. And so this conversation only went to increase
the unconscious estrangement between them, though they continued, as
sisters will do, to lavish upon each other the most extravagant
protestations of affection--vowing to live and die only for each
other--and believing honestly, sweet souls, that they felt all they
said; till real imperious Love came in, in one case of the two at
least, shouldering all other affections right and left; and then the
two beauties discovered, as others do, that it is not so possible or
reasonable as they thought for a woman to sacrifice herself and her
lover for the sake of her sister or her friend. Next morning
Lancelot and the colonel started out to Tregarva's cottage, on a
mission of inquiry. They found the giant propped up in bed with
pillows, his magnificent features looking in their paleness more
than ever like a granite Memnon. Before him lay an open Pilgrim's
Progress, and a drawer filled with feathers and furs, which he was
busily manufacturing into trout flies, reading as he worked. The
room was filled with nets, guns, and keepers' tackle, while a well-
filled shelf of books hung by the wall.

'Excuse my rising, gentlemen,' he said, in his slow, staid voice,
'but I am very weak, in spite of the Lord's goodness to me. You are
very kind to think of coming to my poor cottage,'

'Well, my man,' said the colonel, 'and how are you after your cold
bath? You are the heaviest fish I ever landed!'

'Pretty well, thank God, and you, sir. I am in your debt, sir, for
the dear life. How shall I ever repay you?'

'Repay, my good fellow? You would have done as much for me.'

'May be; but you did not think of that when you jumped in; and no
more must I in thanking you. God knows how a poor miner's son will
ever reward you; but the mouse repaid the lion, says the story, and,
at all events, I can pray for you. By the bye, gentlemen, I hope
you have brought up some trolling-tackle?'

'We came up to see you, and not to fish,' said Lancelot, charmed
with the stately courtesy of the man.

'Many thanks, gentlemen; but old Harry Verney was in here just now,
and had seen a great jack strike, at the tail of the lower reeds.
With this fresh wind he will run till noon; and you are sure of him
with a dace. After th