'That's true enough; but then--' and May stopped, striving to readjust
her ideas, which Violet's remark had suddenly disarranged. After a pause
she said:

'But does your mother intend to bring you to Dublin for the season? Are
you going to be presented this year?'

'I hope so. Mamma said I should be, last vacation.'

'I shall take good care that I am. The best part of the hunting will be
over, and I wouldn't miss the Castle balls for anything. Do you like
officers?'

The crudity of the question startled Alice, and it was with difficulty
she answered she didn't know--that she had not thought about the matter.

May and Violet continued the conversation; and over the lingering waste
of yellow, all that remained to tell where the sun had set, the night
fell like a heavy, blinding dust, sadly and regretfully, as the last
handful of earth thrown upon a young girl's grave.




IV


In the tiny cornfields the reapers rose from their work to watch the
carriage. Mr. Barton commented on the disturbed state of the country.