full of it) that he is engaged, or on the point of being so,
to one of Lord Hope-Acton's daughters?"

"People are always saying he is engaged, to first one person and then
another," said Mr. Alwynn, breathing more freely now that his duty was
discharged. "It often grieves me that your aunt mentions his engagement
so confidently to friends, because it gives people the impression that
we know, and we really don't. He is a great deal talked about, because
he is such a conspicuous man in the county, on account of his wealth and
his place, and the odd things he says and does. There is something
about him that is different from other people. I am sure I don't know
why it is, but I like him very much myself. I have known him do such
kind things. Dear me! What a pleasant week I had at Stoke Moreton last
year. It is beautiful, Ruth; and the collection of old papers and
manuscripts unique! Your aunt was in Devonshire with friends at the
time. I wish he would ask me again this autumn, to see those charters of
Edward IV.'s reign that have been found in the secret drawer of an old
cabinet. I hear they are quite small, and have green seals. I wish I had
thought of asking him about them on Sunday. If they are really
small--but it was only Archdeacon Eldon who told me about them, and he
never sees anything any particular size--if they should happen to be
really small--" And Mr. Alwynn turned eagerly to the all-engrossing
subject of the Stoke Moreton charters, which furnished him with
conversation till they reached home.

_"We should consider well what we are keeping back our strength for, if
we refuse to put the whole of it into our work."_

All through the afternoon and the quiet, monotonous evening these words
followed Ruth. She read them between the lines of the book she took up.
She stitched them into her sewing. They went up-stairs with her at
night, they followed her into her room, and would not be denied. When
she had sent away her maid, she sat down by the window, and, with the
full harvest-moon for company, faced them and asked them what they
meant. But they only repeated themselves over and over again. What had
they to do with her? Her mind tried to grapple with them in vain. As
often as she came to close quarters with them they eluded her and
disappeared, only to return with the old formula.

Her thoughts drifted away at last to what Mr. Alwynn had said of
Charles, and all the disagreeable things which Mabel had come up