up, and caught her, as Rose approached. The Duke and other gentlemen
went to his aid, and as the beautiful woman was borne out white and still
as a corpse, the Countess had this dagger plunged in her heart from the
mouth of Mr. George, addressing Miss Carrington:

'I swear I didn't do it on purpose. She 's Carry Harrington, old Mel's
daughter, as sure as she 's flesh and blood!'




CHAPTER XXIII

TREATS OF A HANDKERCHIEF

Running through Beckley Park, clear from the chalk, a little stream gave
light and freshness to its pasturage. Near where it entered, a bathing-
house of white marble had been built, under which the water flowed, and
the dive could be taken to a paved depth, and you swam out over a pebbly
bottom into sun-light, screened by the thick-weeded banks, loose-strife
and willow-herb, and mint, nodding over you, and in the later season
long-plumed yellow grasses. Here at sunrise the young men washed their
limbs, and here since her return home English Rose loved to walk by
night. She had often spoken of the little happy stream to Evan in
Portugal, and when he came to Beckley Court, she arranged that he should
sleep in a bed-room overlooking it. The view was sweet and pleasant to
him, for all the babbling of the water was of Rose, and winding in and
out, to East, to North, it wound to embowered hopes in the lover's mind,
to tender dreams; and often at dawn, when dressing, his restless heart
embarked on it, and sailed into havens, the phantom joys of which