awkwardness of seeking this interview of yourself.
But you will speak to my father soon: he will
take it better from you than from me."

Luke heard me quietly to the end of this long
speech, but curious changes of expression passed
over his face whilst he broke his little rod bit
by bit to pieces in his hands. He threw them
all from him at last, lifted his head, and looked
at me straight.

"I do not understand you," he said. "You
seem to have got the idea that I wish to break
my engagement with you and marry Miss
Ashenhurst?"

"Yes," I said, "certainly. I believe that
you cannot have any other intention. What
would you wish me to think?"

"Anything you please," he said, carelessly,
"except that I have no more idea of breaking
my engagement than I have of deserting
the Streamstown Mills, which are thriving
nobly. I will give up neither for any new
speculation."

I felt my heart getting sick.

"Your conduct to Sylvia——" I began.

"What has it been?" he interrupted, hastily.
"I meet her in the fields of a summer's day, I
walk down the lane with her, and sit on the
grass, talking to her about old times—about
Dick——" He went on feeling his way with
his words, and giving rapid glances from the
ground to me, to see how his story told upon
my face. "Well, I flirt with her a little," he
added, seeing, I suppose, disbelief gathering in
my eyes, "the day being fine, and the lady
being pretty, and you being, as I believe,
removed from my reach. Is this a crime past
forgiveness?"

"But Sylvia——" I began again, and then
stopped short. I could not speak out more
plainly, without compromising my friend. I could
not drag forth the gossip of servants, nor make
it appear that I had acted the spy. I knew in
my heart that Luke was false, but I also felt
how weak was my case against him. And I
saw that with his sidelong glances he read my
thoughts, and took ready advantage of my
difficulty.

"You need not be uneasy for the lady," he
said, with a slightly sneering laugh. "It is not
her first essay in flirting, as she will tell you, I
dare say, if you ask her. She and I have
passed a summer afternoon foolishly, I own,
and you are jealous, and that is all about it. If
you talk more on the subject, I shall feel
inclined to ask an explanation concerning that
fine soldier who comes riding here with anxious
inquiries so early in the mornings. Ah! have
I touched you there, my most high and mighty
Mattie? We are quits, I think!"

And he coolly lifted a handful of dry gravel
from between his feet, and began pelting the
full-blown roses outside, till the leaves fell in
showers over the bed.

The blood rushed to my face, and a pain shot
through my head. It was true, and yet it was
false; for had I not struggled, had I not suffered?
Yet the random blow hit sorely home.

"I will not be dragged down to your level!"
I cried, passionately. "You have bought my
promise, and you may refuse to release me, but
you shall not insult me!" Something like this
I said.

Luke stared. It was a little raving outburst
which he seemed to think ridiculous. Perhaps
it sounded so, for he smiled and threw all the
pebbles from his hand.

"At all events, Mattie," he said, "I must
say that candour is one of your virtues. You
never let me forget the terms on which you
entered on our engagement. But come now,
let us be friends," said he, drawing near, and
trying to put his arm round me; "forgive and
forget, and let me carry you into the house.
Your father will be waiting dinner."

I shrank from him. "Go away to your
dinner," I said, "and leave me alone here for
another little while." And I drew my shawl
round my shoulders again, and laid my head
down upon the bench. Luke stood gazing at
me for some moments in sullen anger, then
turned on his heel muttering something like a
curse, and strode out of the summer-house.

Where would be the use of setting down all
the little details of what I thought and felt in the
minutes that ensued? Half an hour does quite
as much mischief as a whole week of unreasonable
hope. I was very tired and heated, and I
thrust my shoulders through the cool bowery
leaves of the trees, and lay with my head on a
pillow of lilac-blossoms, looking up at the sky
and down at the stream. I believe I fell into a
doze, from which I was roused presently by the
jangling of the iron gates, and a voice saying,
"Why, Mattie!" as if calling over the hills from
Eldergowan.

I started up and saw Major Hatteraick coming
quickly towards me. I was in time to see the
flush of delighted surprise still beaming on his
face, and I began to tremble. Here was too
much joy coming, and I could not run away. I
felt confused by the unexpected nearness of
danger, as if a pistol had suddenly been
presented at my head.

But it was only for a moment. I could not
save myself from the delight of this meeting.
There were little niches for feet in the wall,
made by the boys who stole the raspberries, and
Mark was quickly by my side, grasping both my
hands, and searching my face with all his great
loving blue eyes.

"Could they not afford you a bed or a sofa in
the house," he said, "that you must lie sleeping
about the garden-walls like a kitten?"

I said, "I am like a parcel now, you know,
and I got left here by accident. You can make
yourself very useful if you will give me your arm
and get me back to the house."

"Wait awhile, Mattie," he said, softly; "it
is pleasant here. Can you not sit beside me a
little and talk. In the house I should not have
you all to myself." And he drew my crutch
gently away from me, and laid it across his
knees.

So I sat there a prisoner, reckless and happy.