She is very fond of books." "I've seen her just once in the village,"-- remarked Reay--"She seems to be very much respected here.

And what a beautiful woman she is!" "You think so ?" and Helmsley's eyes lighted with pleasure--"Well, I think so, too--but they tell me that it's only because I'm old, and apt to see everyone beautiful who is kind to me.

There's a good deal in that!--there's certainly a good deal in that!" They could now see the garden gate of Mary's cottage through the boughs of the great chestnut tree, which at this season was nearly stripped of all its leaves, and which stood like a lonely forest king with some scanty red and yellow rags of woodland royalty about him, in solitary grandeur at the bending summit of the hill.

And while they were yet walking the few steps which remained of the intervening distance, Mary herself came out to the gate, and, leaning one arm lightly across it, watched them approaching.

She wore a pale lilac print gown, high to the neck and tidily finished off by a plain little muslin collar fastened with a coquettish knot of black velvet,--her head was uncovered, and the fitful gleams of the sinking sun shed a russet glow on her shining hair and reddened the pale clear transparency of her skin.