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Nearly a couple of hours later the landlord hient hi in the inner parlor, a last good-night, and he too noticed that the bedrooer in the direction of it

"A late old party," he said in an undertone

Mr Nugent nodded He was still a little flushed hisky and with his previous recountings of ould have happened if his poor daughter had lived to ent's) swift social advance with the gentry that would have taken place He looked reflectively across at the silhouette of the big house, all grey and silver in the full moon The landlord followed the direction of his eyes; and for some reason unknown to them both, the two stood there silent for a full half- exceptional to be seen

Ih oak paling that enclosed the lawn on this side, and the immense li filigree against the peacock sky of night Behind them showed the chimneys, above the dusky front of red-brick and the parapet The limmered only here and there, in lines and sudden patches where they caught the reflected light

Yet the two looked at it in silence They had seen such a sight fifty times before, for the landlord and the other at least twice a week spent such an evening together, and usually parted at the door But they stood here on this evening and looked

All was as still as a spring night can be Unseen and unheard the life of the earth strea on to the miracle of the prophet Jonas, to be revealed in wealth of color and scent and sound a fortnight later The wind had fallen; the last doors were shut, and the two figures standing here were as still as all else To neither of them occurred even the thinnest shadow of a suspicion as to the cause that held the at an old house--not a thought of any hidden life beyond that of matter, that life by which ht such as they had known for half a century There was a moon It was fine That was Mrs Baxter's house This was the village street:--that was the sum of the situation