he
drives his grey horse. There are four men playing cards there now,
and one is seated on the end of an upturned portmanteau."

"And where are the old boots?"

"Packed away on the top of Mrs. Tappitt's bed. I helped to put them
there. Some are stuck under the grate because there are no fires now.
Look here; there's a seat in the window." Then he placed her in the
inclosure of an old window on the staircase landing, and brought her
lemonade, and when she had drunk it he sat down beside her.

"Hadn't we better go back to the dancing?"

"They won't begin for a few minutes. They're only tuning up again.
You should always escape from the hot air for a moment or two.
Besides, you must answer me that question. Did I offend you?"

"Please don't talk of it. Please don't. It's all over now."

"Ah, but it is not all over. I knew you were angry with me
because,--shall I say why?"

"No, Mr. Rowan, don't say anything about it."

"At any rate, I may think that you have forgiven me. But what if I
offend in the same way again? What if I ask permission to do it,
so that it may be no offence? Only think; if I am to live here in
Baslehurst all my life, is it not reasonable that I should wish you
to be my friend? Are you going to separate yourself from Cherry
Tappitt because you are afraid of me?"

"Oh, no."

"But is not that what you have done during the last week, Miss
Ray;--if it must be Miss Ray?" Then he paused, but still she said
nothing. "Rachel is such a pretty name."

"Oh, I think it so ugly."

"It's the prettiest name in the Bible, and the name most fit for
poetic use. Who does not remember Rachel weeping for her children?"

"That's the idea, and not the name. Ruth is twice prettier, and Mary
the sweetest of all."

"I never knew anybody before called Rachel," said he.

"And I never knew anybody called Luke."

"That's a coincidence, is it not?--a coincidence that ought to make
us friends. I may call you Rachel then?"

"Oh, no; please don't. What would people think?"

"Perhaps they would think the truth," said he. "Perhaps they would
imagine that I called you so because I liked you. But perhaps they
might think also that you let me do so because you liked me. People
do make such mistakes."

At this moment up came to them, with flushed face, Mr. Buckett.
"I have been looking for you everywhere," said he to Rachel. "It's
nearly over now."

"I am so sorry," said Rachel, "but I quite forgot."

"So I presum