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'Can I go, et ready, and was down again in a few h, of course, I took a littleout on so expedition alone The thunder-shower had certainly had awas htful Mr Weston would have h the crowded streets, but walked very fast, and appeared grave and abstracted I wondered as theunpleasant was on his ht be, troubled h But these fantasies vanished upon reaching the quiet outskirts of the town; for as soon as we caht of the venerable old church, and the--hill, with the deep blue beyond it, I found h

'I'nes,' said he: 'in ot to consult your convenience; but noe'll walk as slowly as you please I see, by those light clouds in the west, there will be a brilliant sunset, and we shall be in time to witness its effect upon the sea, at the ot about half-way up the hill, we fell into silence again; which, as usual, he was the first to break

'My house is desolate yet, Miss Grey,' he sly observed, 'and I am acquainted noith all the ladies in my parish, and several in this town too; and ht and by report; but not one of them will suit me for a companion; in fact, there is only one person in the world that will: and that is yourself; and I want to know your decision?'

'Are you in earnest, Mr Weston?'

'In earnest! How could you think I should jest on such a subject?'

He laid his hand on mine, that rested on his arreat matter now

'I hope I have not been too precipitate,' he said, in a serious tone 'You must have known that it was not my way to flatter and talk soft nonsense, or even to speak the adlance of mine meant more than the honied phrases and fervent protestations of most other men'