breathed her mossy gleam under the blackberries.

And here Parson Twemlow was astonished, though he had promised himself

to be surprised no more, after all he had been through lately. As he

turned a sharp corner by an ivied tree, a breathless young woman ran

into his arms.

"Oh!" cried the Rector, for he was walking briskly, with a

well-nourished part of his system forward--"oh, I hope you have not hurt

yourself. No doubt it was my fault. Why, Dolly! What a hurry you are in!

And all alone--all alone, almost after dark!"

"To be sure; and that makes me in such a hurry;" Miss Dolly was in sad

confusion. "But I suppose I am safe in my father's own grounds."

"From everybody, except yourself, my dear," Mr. Twemlow replied,

severely. "Is your father aware, does your sister know, that you are

at this distance from the house after dark, and wholly without a

companion?"

"It is not after dark, Mr. Twemlow; although it is getting darker than

I meant it to be. I beg your pardon for terrifying you. I hope you

will meet with no other perils! Good-night! Or at least I mean,

good-afternoon!"

"The brazen creature!" thought Mr. Twemlow, as the girl without another

word disappeared. "Not even to offer me any excuse! But I suppose she

had no fib handy. She will come to no good, I am very much afraid. Maria

told me that she was getting very wilful; but I had no idea that it was

quite so bad as this. I am sorry for poor Scudamore, who thinks her such

an angel. I wonder if Carne is at the bottom of this? There is nothing

too bad for that dark young man. I shall ascertain at any rate whether

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