Double Harness

about his house, planning what improvements could be made and what embellishments provided against the coming of Sibylla. He enjoyed this pottering both for i

the thought that Sibylla had had nothing to do with any of the persons concerned. She had known none of them; she was in no sense of the same set with any one of the five or six women of whom he was thinking; her surroundings had always been quite different from theirs. She came into his life something entirely fresh, new, and unconnected with the past. Herein lay a great deal of the charm of this latest, this final affair. F

ill House happened to fall vacant so opportunely. No other house was available in the village. So the chances went on, till chance culminated in that meeting of his with Sibylla: not their first encounter, but the one he always called his meeting with her in his own thoughts-that wonderful evening when all the sky was red, and the earth too looked almost red, and the air was so still. Then he had been with her in his garden, and she, forgetful of him, had turned her eyes to the heavens, and gazed and gazed. Presently, and still, as it seemed, unconsciously, she had stretched out her hand and caught his in a tight grip, silently but urgently demanding his

hing! I couldn't have d

er of congratulation. He had never been in love with Mrs. Raymore, who was his senior by ten years; but she was an old and intimate friend-perhaps his most intimate friend. S

with the project than with the lady. It will complete my life. That's what I want-a completion, not a transformation. She'll do just this for me. If I had taken a child and trained her, I couldn't have got more exactly what I want; and I'm sure you'll think so when you come to know her. Incidentally, I am to acquire a delightful brother-in-law. He'll always be a capital fellow; but, alas, he won't long be the jewel he is now: just at that stage between boy and man-hobbledehoy, as you women used to make me so furious by calling me-breathing fury ag

rances of all it had been to him, and a promise that marriage should, so far as

ading; "and he says a good deal about the brother-in-law, and quite a

bout Sibylla that Mrs. R

uld get off and walk with her. As he rode now he was not in the calm mood which had dictated his letter. He was excited and eager at the prospect of meeting Sibylla again; he was exulting in the success of his love, instead of contemplating with satisfaction the orderly progression of his life. But still he had not, and knew he had not, quite the freedom from self-consciousness which marks a youthful passion. The eagern

lla a long way behind. He touched his horse with the spur, and galloped towards her. Now she stood still, waiting for him. He came up to her at full speed, reined in, and l

me like Sir Galahad

alahad! A banke

rs kiss the han

uld kiss the hands

millionair

f conceits. She carried it on, but merrily now, not in the almost painf

u-to a dishonest banker, who'

large accounts," G

arge, large i

ted there as they began to walk, the goo

That's always the way, you know." He stopped sudd

en gratified. If he was not as a boy-lover, it was not because he advanced with less ardour, but that he advance

om under, and round about, and even over the flat cap of red that she wore; her eyes gazed and glowed and cried joy to him. There under the majestic spread of sky, amid the exhilaration of

h, of course you have! I don't mind that-not now. I used to before-before you told me. I used

u I've never been

ch with a beat for each. "When we're married, Grantley, you shall give me a horse, such a good horse, such a fast horse-as good and as fast as dear old Rollo. And we'll ride-we'll ride together-oh, so far and so fast, agai

for a respectabl

turned to him suddenly, saying, "Ride

be horribly

asily. Mount, Grantley, mount! Don't go straight

was mounted she set her foot lig

splendid here! Gallop, Grantley, gallop! Think s

Rollo drop

e'll prete

y was his gait as he pulled playfully and tossed his head. They were alone in the world, and the world was very simple-the perfect delight of the living body, the unhindered union of soul with soul-all nature fostering, inciting, applauding. It was a great return to the earliest things, and noth

e, but they went at a gallop still. He felt her head fall against his shoulder. It rested there. Her breath came quicker, faste

r any more.

with his arm, exulting in the struggle of his muscles. He held her close against him and kissed her face. When he let her go and she reached earth, she sank on the ground and covered her face with both hands, all her body shaken with her gasps. He sat on his horse for a moment, looking a

a short s

said. "I wasn't rough to you? I

e was a deep glow on her cheeks, generally so pale. She sp

re rough! You're opening life to me, showing me why it is good, why I have it, why I want it, what I'm to do with it. You're opening it all to me. And all the beauties come out of your d

of feeling; his earnestness w

you're do

hat I must d

s horse, and the ready

the necessity a perm

yfully as she subm

all, careless of keeping any secrets or any defences against him. The seed had quickened in virgin soil, and the flower had sprung up in a night-almost by magic, she seemed to fancy. He listened tenderly and indulgently. The flame of his emotion had burnt down, but there was an after-glow which made him delightfully content with her, interested and delighted in her, still more thoroughly satisfied with what he had done, even more glad that she was different from all the others with whom he had been thrown. While she displayed to him at once the joy and the spontaneity of her abandonment of her wh

hill where the road dipped dow

afternoon it's b

still, expressing itself in the gleam

aned down and whispered to her. "It's gi

ook forward to. It's told us what life is going to be,

r hand towar

view of the afternoon, of their wild ride, made him give part of his amusement to his own share in the proceedings. But who exp

the teeth of the wind, riding into the gold, S

at him, answ

y n

head with a w

s, our hearts can be r

? Isn't it only the young

kissed it. He knew the thought that his words had called into her mind. He had made the girl think that, when they were old, the world would not be; there woul

evening and bring Jeremy with her, and laughed again when she said, "Bring Jeremy?" She was

t see you again to-night. I want t

d as that? You're lo

esh laugh, a laugh

live it over, to live it over alone, many, many tim

be dying for an argument; and he's probab

tions. He observed a questioning look in her eyes, but it did not occur to him that she was rather surp

he said; and added in a whisper

e stood watching him till a turn of the lane hid him from her sight. When that h

er-working revelation; to him it see