a
certain person happened to be squire of a certain district it did not
follow that other people could not drive over his land without being
suspected of personal designs. It was to the last degree unlikely that
one would happen to meet anyone one knew, but if one _did_--Elma
acknowledged to herself that a lift of the hat, a glance of pleased
recognition, would remain in memory as the pleasantest episode of the
afternoon.

As a palliative to her conscience, Elma suggested a farther village as
the termination to the drive, directing the course with a thrill of
guilty triumph at each fresh turning.

"Ain't this dandy!" cried Cornelia, preening her little head, and
showing her white teeth in a smile of delight. "This England of yours
is just a 'cute little garden, with the roads rolled out like gravel
paths. You'd stare to see the roads about my home. Over here it's all
grass and roses. You are a rose, too--a real, sweet garden rose, with
the dewdrops on its leaves. If I were an artist I'd paint a picture of
you on one panel, and Aunt Soph on the other, as two types of English
life, and the people could look on, and learn a lesson. It's kinder
sweet and touching to dream along so long as you're young, but if you go
on keeping your eyes shut, it don't pan out well in old age. It's best
to have 'em wide open, and realise that there are two or three more
people in the world beside yourself."

Elma smiled in vague, preoccupied fashion. Her own thoughts were all
engrossing, and at every fresh winding of the road she held her breath
in suspense, while the wild rose colour deepened in her cheeks.
Suppose--suppose they met him! How would he look? What would he do?
What would he think? Even the compliment to herself faded into
insignificance beside such questions as these.

The mare was trotting briskly along a high level road, on the right side
of which lay the boundary wall of a large estate--_the_ estate, every
inch of which was thrilling with interest to one onlooker, at least; to
the right a bank of grass sloped gradually to a lower road, beneath
which again could be seen a wide-stretched panorama of country.
Cornelia slackened the reins, and gave herself up to the enjoyment of
the moment.

Up to now decorous toddles to and fro the outlying villas had been her
only form of exercise, and she was amazed and delighted with the verdant
beauty of the scene. As Elma did not seem inclined for conversation she
made