"Did she, though? If having about as much feeling as this fence has is
such fine behaviour--!" He stopped, apparently not knowing exactly how
to end his sentence.

The girls began to recede. The grass grew so thin and dry that they did
little harm by passing through it. It sprang up in front of their feet
as they moved backwards in their white dresses. All colour had passed
from the earth. The ripple of the river and the cry of the
whip-poor-will rose amid the murmur of the night insects.

"Do you sometimes come down here of an evening?" asked the young man.
"At sunset it's real pleasant."

"Sometimes," answered Blue. Her soft voice only just reached him.




CHAPTER XV.


So the days wore on till August. One morning Cyril Harkness lay in wait
for Eliza. It was early; none of the boarders at the hotel were down
yet. Eliza, who was always about in very good time, found him in the
corridor on the first floor. He did not often attempt to speak to her
now.

"Say," said he, gloomily, "come into my office. I've something to tell."