Thyrza

e latter's home he met Mr. Newthorpe, who, from the first, regarded him with interest. A year after Mrs. Newthorpe's death Egremont was invited to visit the house at Ullswate

the world, and common friends ai

f Egremont & Pollard, with extensive works in Lambeth. His wife died before him; his son received a liberal education, and in early manhood found himself, as far as he knew, without a living relative, but with ample means of independence. Young Walter Egremont retained an interest in the business, but had no intention of devoting himself to a commercial l

s, for which he had the readiest store of enthusiastic words. He was able to talk of himself without conveying the least impression of egotism to those who were in sympathy with his intellectual point of view; he was accused of conceit only by a few who were jealous of him or were too conventional to appreciate his character. With women he was a favourite, and their society was his greatest pleasure; yet, in spite of his fervid temperament-in appearance fervid, at all events-he never seemed to fall in love. Some there were who said that the self he went so far to discover would prove to have a female for

he purposed literary effort, though it seemed the natural outlet for his eager thought; and of the career of politics he at all times spoke with contempt. Was he one of the men, never so common as nowadays, who spend their existence in canvassing the possibilities that lie before them and delay action till they find that the will is paralysed?

nnabel had her little table with tea and coffee. Paula had brought out a magazine,

onde lately?' Mr. Newth

Eastbourne befor

l; 'but she seems to have such a difficulty in leaving her

or tw

me from London?

home. Now there came for her what seemed to be a small story-paper, or something of the kind, in a wrapper. Mrs. Ormonde gave it her without asking any questions, and, in the course of the morning, happening to see her reading it, she went to look what

of the real meaning of it

cy of the paper surprisingly well; her fath

ular education,' remarked Mr. Newthorp

Ormonde do?'

e would be home again in a fortnight. So Mrs. Ormonde simply asked if she might have the paper when it was done

that father must be!

average in his class. A mere brute wouldn't do a thing of that kind; ten to one he

such ugly-minded teachers?' Annabel exclaim

There is no way of spreading popular literature save on terms of supply and demand. Take the Education Act. It was devised and carried simply for the reason indicated by Egremont's friend Dalmaine; a more intelligent type of workmen is demanded that our manufacturer

such work without hope of recompense in

thorpe,' said Egremont, in a voice rather lower than h

ch she felt. Mr. Newthorpe, who had been pacing on the grass, came to a sea

e sure you do

she replied, checking a little

her cousin, rising. 'You shall

t. 'There surely can't be any dan

about her soothed

ery serious and wise, listening to such talk. Now we shal

it carefully about the girl's sho

next to Pa

y took one of her cousin's hands and held it. Pau

d upon the hills, glorious with sunset. The gnats hummed, rising and falling in myriad crowds about the mo

cticable,' Annabel resumed, look

is the most neglected, just because it does not appear so pressing. With the mud at the bottom of society we can practically do nothing; only the vast changes to be wrought by time will cleanse that foulness, by destroying the monstrous wrong which produces it. What I should like to attempt would be the spiritual education of the upper artisan and mechanic class. At present they are all but wholly in the hands of men who can do them nothing but harm-journalists, socialists, vulgar propagators of what is called freethought. These all work against culture, yet here is the field really waiting for the right till

idealist fervour. His face became more mobile, his eyes gave forth all their light, his voice was musically modulate

as listening intently, but as one who hears of stra

p each other in time of need and to exact terms from their employers-the fair fight, as the worthy Member for Vauxhall calls it. Well, why shouldn't they band for moral and intellectual purposes? I would have a sort of freemasonry, which had nothing to do with eating and drinking, or with the dispensing of charity; it should be wholly concerned with spiritual advanceme

involuntarily. 'I think it v

at?' asked Paula

u to read, Paula,'

nt con

ocial and religious, might be counteracted; an incalculable change for good might be made on the borders of the social inferno, and would spread. But it can only be done by personal influence. The ma

rly must be half doi

ed to her with

orpe remarked. 'Are you goin

of lectures on a period of English literature. I shall not throw open my doors to all and sundry, but specially invite a certain small number of men, whom I shall be at some pains to choose. We have at the works a foreman named Bower; I have known him, in a way, for years, and I believe he is an intelligent man. Him I sh

aid Mr. Newthorpe. 'And you use English lit

shall be on the way to founding my club of social reformers. I shall be most careful not to alarm them with hints that I mean more than I say. Here arc certain interesting English books; let us see what they are about, who wrote them, and why they are deemed excellent. That is our position. These men must get on a friendly footing with me. Little by little I shall talk wi

t had died from the swarth hills, and in

Paula,' said Annabel, when ther

she was about to enter the house s

g so much in the open air.

ollies, but her prettiness and the naivete which sweetened her inbred artificiality had won his liking.

?' Paula said to her cousin as

added, with a laugh, 'They will sit late in the stud

minutes; then from the door she gave a 'good-n

tered the drawing-room alone, and began to tu

row,' she said. 'I must get father away

e did last aut

d-night to him. Will y

nce, and Annabel to

s drove to a point whence their ramble was to begin. Annabel enjoyed walking. Very soon her being seemed to set

g the day she kept an air of reserve, a sort of dignity which was amusing. Mr. Newthorpe walked beside

up with a spray of

ula?' she said. 'Do

eply, 'but it's too sm

ot long after noon the sky began to cloud, and almost as soon as the party reached home again there was beginning of rain. They spent the even

w it still rained, though no

bel and Egremont, when they rose from the table.

d, 'I have an awful heap of letters to write.' H

r books. She was reading Virgil. For a quarter of an hour it cost her a repetition of effo

he said, noticing he

e help, if you will. I c

opened another. It led to their

nabel exclaimed at length. 'You learn Greek and Latin when you are children;

windows, which were suddenly illumined with a broad slant of sunlight

dactylics. She put her bo

and ask m

d entered. From a bustling sound within, it appeared likely that Miss T

, Paula? The rain

t n

s to go for a walk.

to excuse me. I am tire

utes she saw Egremont and Annabel go forth and stroll from the garde

dge. They spoke of trifles. When they were

ht of me at all, I dare say my life seemed to you a ve

she answered simply. 'I felt sure that you w

ing all that life demanded of me. Few men can be more disposed to idle dreaming than I am. And even now I keep asking myself whether this, too, is only a moment of idealism, which will

allow yourself to falter in purpose when the task was once begun. What success may await

is to have any

can befall one than to have one's

n silence, the

is one thing I need to feel full confidence in myself, and that is a woman's love. I have

nanticipated, but the answer with which she was prepared was more difficult to utter than she had thought it would be. It was the first time that a man had spoken to her thus, and though in theory such a situation had always seemed to her

e you that, M

fell, she ha

But this is no more than the friendship which many people have for you-quite di

rking in the thoughtfulness of his face had become pred

. To have your friendship is much

far she was from emotion, 'that you will meet another w

magine the ideal woman she has your face and your mind. I should have spoken when I was here last autumn, but I felt that I had no right to ask you to share my life as long as it remained so valueless. You see'-he smiled-'how I have g

, and gave her courage to speak a thought which h

re able to go with you and share your life I shouldn't think I was rewarding you, but that you

that he spoke of his love and his intellectual aims as inte

dantry-always my fault. I cannot feel sure that my other motives will keep their

e the habit of his thoug

I am capable. I know that you can see into my nature with those clear eyes of yours. I could not love you if I did no

he could now listen to him, and think of her reply almost with coldness. There was a

assured-that something will come of your work; but i

plain, touching words in which to express his very real love-words such as every man can summon when he pleads for this gre

w that your delight in poetry was as spirit-deep as my own; your voice had the true music, and your cheeks warmed with sympathy. You do not deny me the right to claim so much kinship with you. I, too, l

nabel felt the chords of her being smi

iend, and my life is ric

in before very long, when I

our house alway

The sky was again overcast. A fresh gust came f

in a changed voice. 'Look at tha

e quiet, natural tone between them. 'I like the perfume and the taste

rs. Egremont remained standing in the porch, looking f

sn't mind it in London; there's alway

mont could not hel

much longer

n't k

ifference, keeping

th this evening,' he said. 'I'm

e you? Not to Jer

y n

very dull. I shall warn a

an air an

horpe went out into the rain, and at the last moment shook hands w

sently looked back from the carriage window. The house was already out