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'Her father did fuht of i complications, Elfride and Stephen returned down the hill hand in hand At the door they paused wistfully, like children late at school

Women accept their destiny ned herself to the overwhel idea of her lover's sorry antecedents; Stephen had not forgotten the trifling grievance that Elfride had known earlier ad man's name?' he inquired

'Felix Jethway; a 's only son'

'I remember the family'

'She hates me now She says I killed him'

Stephen mused, and they entered the porch

'Stephen, I love only you,' she tre shadow passed away, to adible trouble

The study appeared to be the only roohted up They entered, each with a demeanour intended to conceal the inconcealable fact that reciprocal love was their do with his back towards herself, talking to her father She would have retired, but Mr Swancourt had seen her

'Come in,' he said; 'it is only Martin Cannister, coister for poor Mrs Jethway'

Martin Cannister, the sexton, was rather a favourite with Elfride He used to absorb her attention by telling her of his strange experiences in digging up after long years the bodies of persons he had known, and recognizing thenized any) He had shrewd sreat wealth of double chin, which compensated in some measure for considerable poverty of nose

The appearance of a slip of paper in Cannister's hand, and a few shillings lying on the table in front of him, denoted that the business had been transacted, and the tenor of their conversation went to show that a su the attention of parishioner and parson

Mr Cannister stood up and touched his forehead over his eye with his finger, in respectful salutation of Elfride, gave half as ers, had never for a ain and resuot on to, sir?'

'To driving the pile,' said Mr Swancourt

'The pile 'twas So, as I was saying, Nat was driving the pile in this -stick scrupulously vertical with his left hand, and struck a bloith great force on the knob of the stick with his right 'John was steadying the pile so, as I ht shake, and looked fir further his listeners well grasped the subject at that stage 'Well, when Nat had struck some half-dozen blows more upon the pile, 'a stopped for a second or two John, thinking he had done striking, put his hand upon the top o' the pile to gie en a pull, and see if 'a were firround' Mr Cannister spread his hand over the top of the stick, co it with his pal, and when John had put his hand upon the pile, the beetle----'