'We must listen,' she said to him, smiling, over her shoulder.

And she left him, settling herself by the side of Mrs. Leyburn.
He had a momentary sense of rebuff. The man, quick, sensitive,
sympathetic, felt in the woman the presence of a strength, a
self-sufficingness which was not all attractive. His vanity, if
he had cherished any during their conversation, was not flattered
by its close. But as he leant against the window-frame waiting for
the music to begin, he could hardly keep his eyes from her. He was
a man who, by force of temperament, made friends readily with women,
though except for a passing fancy or two he had never been in love;
and his sense of difficulty with regard to this stiffly-mannered
deep-eyed country girl brought with it an unusual stimulus and
excitement.

Miss Barks seated herself deliberately, after much fiddling with
bracelets and gloves, and tied back the ends of her cap behind her.
Mr. Mayhew took out his flute and lovingly put it together. He
was a powerful swarthy man who said little, and was generally
alarming to the ladies of the neighborhood. To propitiate him they
asked him to bring his flute, and nervously praised the fierce music
he made on it. Miss Barks enjoyed a monopoly of his accompaniments,
and there were many who regarded her assiduity as a covert attack
upon the widower's name and position. If so, it was Greek meeting
Greek, for with all his taciturnity the vicar of Shanmoor was well
able to defend himself.

'Has it begun?' said a hurried whisper at Elsmere's elbow, and
turning, he saw Rose and Agnes on the step of the window, Rose's
cheeks flushed by the night breeze, a shawl thrown lightly round