After supper there was a dance, the bandsmen from Great Hintock having

arrived some time before. Grace had been away from home so long that

she had forgotten the old figures, and hence did not join in the

movement. Then Giles felt that all was over. As for her, she was

thinking, as she watched the gyrations, of a very different measure

that she had been accustomed to tread with a bevy of sylph-like

creatures in muslin, in the music-room of a large house, most of whom

were now moving in scenes widely removed from this, both as regarded

place and character.

A woman she did not know came and offered to tell her fortune with the

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abandoned cards. Grace assented to the proposal, and the woman told

her tale unskilfully, for want of practice, as she declared.

Mr. Melbury was standing by, and exclaimed, contemptuously, "Tell her

fortune, indeed! Her fortune has been told by men of science--what do

you call 'em? Phrenologists. You can't teach her anything new. She's

been too far among the wise ones to be astonished at anything she can

hear among us folks in Hintock."

At last the time came for breaking up, Melbury and his family being the

earliest to leave, the two card-players still pursuing their game

doggedly in the corner, where they had completely covered Giles's

mahogany table with chalk scratches. The three walked home, the

distance being short and the night clear.

"Well, Giles is a very good fellow," said Mr. Melbury, as they struck

down the lane under boughs which formed a black filigree in which the

stars seemed set.

"Certainly he is," said Grace, quickly, and in such a tone as to show

that he stood no lower, if no higher, in her regard than he had stood

before.

When they were opposite an opening through which, by day, the doctor's

house could be seen, they observed a light in one of his rooms,

although it was now about two o'clock.

"The doctor is not abed yet," said Mrs. Melbury.

"Hard study, no doubt," said her husband.

"One would think that, as he seems to have nothing to do about here by

day, he could at least afford to go to bed early at night. 'Tis

astonishing how little we see of him."

Melbury's mind seemed to turn with much relief to the contemplation of

Mr. Fitzpiers after the scenes of the evening. "It is natural enough,"

he replied. "What can a man of that sort find to interest him in

Hintock? I don't expect he'll stay here long."




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