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"If I be I as I suppose I be," he replied, giving her his arain, and

as they turned towards the conservatory, adding, "Many such things have

happened, and I did not knohether you ht of it"

"What, because I thought it was somebody else?"

"No, the contrary reason; but I cannot understand why you letme"

"I never interfere when a story is so perfect in itself"

"But is my story perfect in itself?" said Rachel, "or is it the

contrary?"

"No one knows less of the particulars than I do," he answered "I think

your version was that it was an hospital tent that the shell caalohich was supposed to be out of range

It stood on a bit of a slope, and I thought I should have been able to

kick the shell down before it had time to do mischief"

"But you picked it up, and took it to the door--Ito discover that she et an answer, and she received a

gesture of assent

"I was very blind," she said, huone and insisted

to poor E"