'Pretty! You might as well apply the word to your mountains, to the exquisite river, to that great purple peak!' 'Yes,' thought Rose, 'she is not unlike that high cold peak!' But her girlish sympathy conquered her; it was very exciting, and she liked Elsmere.

She turned back to him, her face overspread with a quite irrepressible smile.

He reddened still more, then they stared into each other's eyes, and without a word more understood each other perfectly.
Rose held out her hand to him with a little brusque _bon camarade_ gesture.

He pressed it warmly in his.
'That was nice of you!' he cried.

'Very nice of you! Friend, then ?' She nodded and drew her hand away just as Agnes and the vicar disturbed them.
Meanwhile Catherine was standing by the side of the pony carriage, watching Mrs.Thornburgh's preparations.
'You're sure you don't mind driving home alone ?' said, in a troubled voice.