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place he was about to enter. Cautiously advancing, he observed Lady Eda seated at the foot of the tree speaking to her dog while she caressed it. He instantly withdrew to a spot where he remained concealed by the thicket behind her! How beautiful she looked-the favourite deerhound crouching proudly at her feet. Her head was uncovered, and her long brown hair, in romping with the hound, had become unloosed, and hung in luxuriant flakes about her neck. Her usually pale cheeks were slightly tinged by exercise with the freshness of health. Pierce had never seen her so animated, so enchanting.

"Come, Fridolin," she said.

"Come,

Sir, put my hat on directly!" and she stooped her head towards the dog's mouth, and then tossed it back to get rid of her streaming hair. "Oh! you silly fellow," she said, laughing, as the hound jumped up, trying to

lick her face. "No, no, Sir! not till you put my hat on. Down, Sir, down!" and the dog ceased jumping, and looked abashed at the commanding tone of his mistress. "Poor fellow!" she said, seizing him, and clasping his neck in her delicate hands. "Is he unhappy, then, because I won't give him. a kiss? There!" and she rested her face

for a moment on the dog's forehead.

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Heigho! I wonder whether you are happy, Fridolin! Tell me, Sir-are you happy?" The dog wagged his tail. "And do you love me, Sir?" Again the dog wagged his tail.

Yes, you love me; and do I love you, Frid?" The dog had got tired of wagging his tail, and lay down again at her feet. Heigho! nobody loves me."

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More's pulse ran like fire through his veins, but he dared not move.

"Fridolin! I'll sing you to sleep, you naughty, ungrateful dog."

Then she sung a verse or two of an old

Welsh ballad, and having done so rose and went homeward. The moment she had passed him, Pierce escaped stealthily from his hidingplace and, running round, got into one of the other rides so as to be at the entrance of the wood nearest to the house before her. He had time to regain his breath, and turned in the direction whither she was coming.

"Have you been to the village, Lady Eda?" he asked as they met.

66

"Yes," she replied; "are you going there? I advise you to take the green lane to the left, instead of going by the road, when you get out of the park."

"I am not going so far," he replied. "I merely came out for a stroll."

"Oh!

it ?"

It is a charming evening, isn't

"Beautiful!

But I had hardly noticed

that it was so. I was thinking of some

thing else."

"Come, then, a penny for your thoughts!" "Perhaps they are not worth so much, Lady Eda."

"Then you must have been thinking of far-things, I suppose," and the girl laughed at her joke.

"Fie, Lady Eda! I thought you hated

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What, for speaking seriously?"

"No, for supposing I could think of anything but present things and the present time."

"Do you call that thinking seriously?” "The present is more to me than the future."

'You don't really mean that?"

Yes; I was thinking of you."

"I'm extremely flattered.

reflection was agreeable."

"The most of all to me."

I hope the

Lady Eda quickened her pace towards the house.

"Do you know why so agreeable to me, Lady Eda ?"

"No, indeed," walking faster, "how should I?"

"It is," said More, "because you are so unlike any one else in the known world that ever I met with.”

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Possibly.

You know I have been brought up in a strange way. I sometimes fancy myself that I do what to other people must seem very odd. I dare say, now, I often say things which, considering the shortness of our acquaintance, you may think unaccountable; but you must remember the singular nature of my education, and make allowances accordingly."

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Consider, in short, that on no account would you say to me anything which might not be proclaimed in the market-place. you so afraid of me? Can you not trust me

Are

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