Two on a Tower

re four o'clock, and crossed to the tower through the gray half-light when every blade and twig were furred with rime, she fel

d hoped, a letter fr

s Sunday night, I fancied some change had taken place, but I could not make myself sure. Your memoranda for that night I await with impatience. Please don't neglect to write down AT THE M

N ST.

subject. He had succeeded in his mission, and yet he did not even say yes or no to the great

hing so provok

rival, she could easily intercept him in the avenue. At twenty minutes past ten she went out into the drive, and stood in the dark. Seven minutes later she heard his footstep, and saw his outline i

ntine?' he a

ding out both her hands, though he had

watch t

ing in detail; but, pr

Did you watch every ni

- twice,' she mu

ied in dismay. 'How could you

and watched, and nothing happened; and somehow my vigilance rel

t not having happened, made it

en -' she bega

onstantine was not in London at the address which had been anonymously sent her. It was a mistake of identity. Th

you!' she exclaime

oing to tell you on my own account.' He spoke in tones of m

t is

o busy about! Such a magnificent aid to science has

uddled-up package, which was in shape a round

ng the open park from the garden terraces. Here for a moment he placed his valise and parcel on the coping of the stone balustrade, till he had bidden her farewel

vens!' he cri

ha

ct-glass

of much

all I p

object lens! I took advantage of my journey to London to get it! I have been six weeks making the tube of milled board; and as I had not

it is not

licking noise issued from inside. Swithin smote his forehe

Lady Constantine, I am ashamed of myself - before you. Oh, but, Lady Constantine, if you only knew what it is to a person engaged in science to have the means of clinching

ilent. His misery was of an intensity and kind with th

stantine. 'It is dreadfully unfortunate! Yo

d - no

h your present one

her inferior,

I'll do anything to assist you out of your trouble; for I am most anxious to see you famous. I

nd. He could not tr

e writing-room; and after lunch, when she had dressed for walking, she took from the box a paper parcel like the one which had met with the accident. This she hid under her mantle

feel of winter. Rooks were already beginning to build new nests or to mend up old ones, and clamorously called in neighbours to give opinions on difficulties in their archite

he thought, however, that her young friend might possibly see her, if he were there, and come down; and that he was there she soon as

ical journals that had reached him in the morning. The sun blazed into the hollow roof-space as into a tub, and the sides kept out every breeze. Though the month was February below it was May in the abacus of the column. This state of the atmosphere, and the fact that on the previous nig

d stood still to reconnoitre. Her eye glanced over his telescope, now wrapped up, his table and papers, his observing-chair, and his contrivances for making the best of a deficiency of instruments. All was warm, sunny, and silent, except that a so

looking for a long time at his sleeping face, which had a very interesting appearance. She seemed reluctant to leave, yet wanted resolution to wake him; and, pencil

came nearer, showing that she had shut herself in - no doubt to lessen the risk of an accidental surprise by any roaming villager. When Lady Constant

oso, no gallant, but a guileless philosopher. His parted lips were lips which spoke, not of love, but of millions of miles; those were eyes which habitually gazed, not in

er which arose from his obtuseness to their difference of sex. He had never, since becoming a man, looked even so low as to the level of a Lady Constantine. His heaven at present was truly in the skies, and not in that only other place where they say it can be found, in the eyes of some daug

pression lighted on her lips and eyes, and she looked at one jump ten years more youthful than before - quite a girl in aspect, younger than he. On the table lay

ks - for they hardly reached a curl - into which each lock of his hair chose to twist itself in the last inch of its length. The hair fell upon the rug. She picked it up quickly