seemingly she did, for now she looked much paler than usual. But the
perfect clearness of her complexion, the lustre of her eyes,
appeared to indicate complete health. She breathed the fresh sun-lit
air with frank enjoyment, and smiled to herself at objects on either
side of the river.

"By the by," Waymark said, when no words had been exchanged for some
minutes, "you didn't tell me where you were going; so I took no
ticket, and left matters to fate."

"Are you a good walker?" Ida asked.

"Fairly good, I flatter myself."

"Then this is what I propose. It's a plan I carried out two or three
times by myself last summer, and enjoyed. We get off at Putney, walk
through Roehampton, then over the park into Richmond. By that time
we shall be ready for dinner, and I know a place where we can have
it in comfort."

There was little thought of weariness throughout the delightful
walk. All three gave themselves up for the time to simple enjoyment;
their intercourse became that of children; the troubles of passion,
the miseries of self-consciousness, the strain of mutual observation
fell from them as the city dropped behind; they were once more
creatures for whom the external world alone had reality. There was a
glorious June sky; there were country roads scented with flower and
tree; the wide-gleaming common with its furze and bramble; then the
great park, with felled trunks to rest upon, and prospects of
endlessly-varied green to soothe the eye. The girls exhibited their