'I must sit here till it stops.'

And there on the nets they sat. Pierston knew of old Bencomb as his
father's bitterest enemy, who had made a great fortune by swallowing up
the small stone-merchants, but had found Jocelyn's sire a trifle too
big to digest--the latter being, in fact, the chief rival of the Best-
Bed Company to that day. Jocelyn thought it strange that he should be
thrown by fate into a position to play the son of the Montagues to this
daughter of the Capulets.

As they talked there was a mutual instinct to drop their voices, and on
this account the roar of the storm necessitated their drawing quite
close together. Something tender came into their tones as quarter-hour
after quarter-hour went on, and they forgot the lapse of time. It was
quite late when she started up, alarmed at her position.

'Rain or no rain, I can stay no longer,' she said.

'Do come back,' said he, taking her hand. 'I'll return with you. My
train has gone.'

'No; I shall go on, and get a lodging in Budmouth town, if ever I reach
it.'

'It is so late that there will be no house open, except a little place
near the station where you won't care to stay. However, if you are
determined I will show you the way. I cannot leave you. It would be
too awkward for you to go there alone.'