she said, not interrogatively so much as assertively. Catholic and Irish were synonymous terms to her, and her curiosity now was less. about Norah's faith than about that of Miss Summers, whose invitation on a visit of a Catholic friend confirmed the impression of her being herself well on her way to Rome.

No; I'm a Protestant. The Irish are not all Catholics.'

Main on 'em is; but they knaw no better,' with contemptuous toleration.

'And they're not all bad either-not worse than the English; they're better, I think, in some things.'

'Lizabeth Ann, having stared amazed at this astounding opinion for a moment, said, 'Ye mun keep t' tops at hoam then, and send t' noils qvver here.' 'Tops' being the longcombed wool from which the 'noils,' or shorts, have been taken out. At this apt illustration from their looms there was a laugh from the two or three girls who were listening. Norah,

though she didn't understand these technical terms, caught the drift of the illustration.

"Yes, only the poorest come over here, or the most ignorant; for no Irishman, who can afford to stay at home or go to America, would come to this country, if he knew anything about it.'

Yo've coomed ovver,' retorted 'Lizabeth Ann, laughing triumphantly. She resented Norah's unprovoked (as she considered it) aspersion on her country; being absolutely unconscious of having herself said anything offensive. It was simply impossible for her to look. so far out of herself as to see how the things she said struck anyone with whose thoughts or feelings she had no sympathy. Norah, who imagined that 'Lizabeth Ann had intended rudeness all along, felt ashamed of having condescended to such an antagonist, and deigned now to make no reply.

But 'Lizabeth Ann no more meant to be rude than a blind man does, who, having knocked you into the gutter, is greatly aggrieved

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by the collision. So far from meaning to offend Norah, she was anxious to make friends with her, attracted by her lovely face, gentle manner, and most of all by her low, full, sweet, plaintive voice. For 'Lizabeth Ann, who was devotedly musical, liked to hear her speak far above singing.' Nor was it long before Norah found that she had done the girl injustice in her thoughts, and came to recognise the friendliness and hearty, if homely, good-nature under this rough and rasping manner. • Ne jugez pas

l'arbre à l'écorce.'

'Lizabeth Ann, on her side, seemed to grow perfectly fascinated with Norah, partly, perhaps, as a surprising experience; for her gentle, genial manner was not in the least like that of the lady teachers of 'Lizabeth Ann's acquaintance, and still less like her conception of an Irish lady.

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'Shoo fair caps1 me,' she said afterwards to Sally, in allusion to Norah's being Irish, shoo fair caps me; but there's gooid an' bad in

all countries, aw reckon. Shoo brades of her own voice, an' aw niver heerd nowt no sweeter in all my days. Eh, mun! it wor like moonlight set to music; it wor that.'

We have dwelt a little upon this sudden friendship between Norah and 'Lizabeth Ann, because it became of importance to our heroine in this way. After dining on the rocks by the river in the shadow of the abbey, 'Lizabeth Ann proposed to show Norah a waterfall, a mile and a half higher up. None of the others cared to go so far to see what was no novelty to them, and therefore these two set out alone. When they reached the place, Norah, who could climb like a goat, took it into her wild head to clamber up the cliff at the side of the fall. While 'Lizabeth Ann was looking up amazed and admiring, Mr. Reid Summers stood suddenly beside her.

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My sister,' he said, 'desired me to ask if you would kindly help them to pack the things. I shall see after Miss Wyndham.'

145

CHAPTER XXIV.

REJECTION.

Malvolio.-Madam, you have done me wrong,

Olivia.

Notorious wrong.

Have I, Malvolio?

No.

Malvolio.-Lady, you have. Pray you, peruse that letter,

And tell me, in the modesty of honour,

Why you have given me such clear lights of favour ?

MR. REID SUMMERS' resolution to join the picnic party was not so sudden as his unexpected appearance amongst its members. He had made up his mind yesterday to baffle the Argus-eyed vigilance of his people by starting for Selbysedge, and, after a couple of hours' shooting and some lunch, taking the train thence to Serborne. Lunch, however, was later than he had calculated upon, and he could only catch a train which brought him to Serborne but two hours before the departure of

VOL. II.

L