By Right of Purchase

od she could see the narrower and unprotected way along which she had ventured with Leland a few weeks earlier, and she could not help remembering his quiet glance of interrogation

es plain. This had pleased her at the time, since it suggested that he understood her resolution was eq

g-stones round which the Barrock flashed. She knew this was unwise, and that she could not escape from what lay before her, but hope dies hard when one is young, and there was still lurking at the back of her mind a faint belief that after

ng, and the women had driven to inspect some relics of the Roman occupa

silence of the hollow. She could hear a squirrel shaking the beech-mast down, and the patter of the falling nuts rose sharply distinct from the thin carpet of yellow leaves. Then she felt her he

nd almost her own age, which she felt was in some ways unfortunate then. As he s

time, that is all done with now. It was a little weak

ng man's face, and he clenc

ean it, Carrie. In spite of what you told me, I had bee

m's face, and a little bitter

lly the one that happens-unless one does s

ng, and it was, perhaps, not his fault that there was a lack of stiffness in his composition. He was not one

that suggested desperation. "Stanley Crossthwaite is only sixty, and may live anothe

you didn't think

hands again, but she drew back from him with a s

d help falling in love with you? There w

he had protested he felt for her, but now there was a stirring of contempt in her. Her reason recognised that he wa

gained by talking of tha

the rails, gazing down into the ravine with h

ful brute Aylmer?

t have brought

ay, but I suppose one couldn't blame yo

ble thing that you should be driven to such a sacrifice, but you shall not make it. Can't

t know what she had expected from him, and, since she had decided that the sacrifice must be made, she recognised that there was, in fact, nothing she could expect; but her strength had almost failed her. Had he suggested a desperate rem

or us, Reggie, and you must go back now. It would have been better had I never promised that I wou

ok him off with a strength that seemed equal to his own, and, though he scarcely saw her move, in another momen

grating ring. "Since you cannot help me, you sha

uld feel so. Then, with a despairing gesture, he went down the steps without a word. Whilst Carrie Denham still leaned dejectedly on

d the girl. "One has to b

aughed b

ce young Lochinvar swam the Esk at Netherby. In fact, unless men have

t her shrewdly, for she

at all, and presumably did nothing, too; but I don't know that I'm so very sorry for you

dear, that if you had shown the Canadian half the favour you have wasted on Reggie, he would, even i

itted herself to put into words. The impression sank in, and she afterwards recalled it. She, h

ve the ridge of moor. As she flitted along the terrace, the pale, silvery light was creeping across the old grey house. It rose above her, a pile of rudely hewn and weathered stone, not beautiful, f

could emulate their courage. It seemed that Barrock-holme demanded a sacrifice, and she must make it. Then a little flush crept to her face as she remembered the part her father and Jimmy played. It was a degenerate and paltry one, to which she

ain, nerving herself for what must be borne. When he had reached the foot of the terrace steps, he stood waiting her there with his hat in his hand. It was not exactly what Jimmy Denham or even Reggie Urmston w

o come, though I was 'most afraid to h

a thing imply

ld with you. Still, you see, the fact that you made th

girl noticed that he was one who could be silent without awkwardness. I

"I had the honour of maki

e tone. She felt that the man was not in love with her, and that promised to make thi

sk you to meet me here, but I fancied we should be qu

ly. "That is quite natur

me candidly why yo

inkle in Leland's eyes, as he mad

, "do you ever look

s, after all, a very indifferen

means sure that was all now. She stood full in the moonlight with the fleecy wrap about her shoulders, intensifying the duskiness of her eyes and hair, and the long light dress suggesting the sweeping lines of a beautifully-moulded figure, and her freshness and beauty stirred his depths. The faint trace of imperiousness in her pos

gh it goes some distance, isn't quite everything. You've got grit and fibre that are worth more than looks. I am a lonely man wi

nothing mo

de a litt

k you would find

ancied, under the circumstances, somewhat unusual, but that was, after all, a matter of relief to her. She was willing to marry him, but she meant to teach

the answer to a question I asked you last night. W

or she had to make him understand, an

-afterwards-you can draw back now. I think you know that I do not love you-and I have nothing to gi

zed face, but he made her a little deferential gesture. Then he looked up again, str

thing you like; but, when you say that I do n

now what I feel myself, and I have tried to tel

caught her hand

l be quite enough for me; but I almost think that you will love me, too, some day. I shall t

f pain ran through him. Then he raised the hand he held, and, stooping, touched it with his lip

ould make you sorry you married me; and you have o

ery little of her during the rest of the evening. It was late that night when the girl related to Eveline Annersl

p wondering if you were wise in giving that man to unders

said

e. As it is, I don't think there is any great necessity for pitying

ed at her wit

ould ever care for a

at they are set apart from the rest of humanity. If there were any, I should know it, since I'm one of them myself, you see. Henry Annersly, with all his shortcomings-and he naturally had them-was a

straightened ominously, but she restrained

erhaps I was unreasonably fastidious, but I was-if it wasn't more than that-fon

er looking down on her a mom

pect your husband to bear it too. Good-night, and try

when the door had closed,

have reason to hate me for