‘I don’t want to go, indeed I don’t, not without Larry,’ replied the blind girl, earnestly. ‘And what more did Miss Rosa say to you?’ demanded her aunt, inquisitively. ‘We talked about the sands, aunt. She’d been galloping all over them this morning, and I told her how dangerous they were beyond Corston Point, and we was getting on so nice together, when some one came and interrupted us.’ ‘_Some one!_ Who’s some one?’ said Laurence Barnes, quickly. ‘I can’t tell you; I never met him before.’ ‘’Twas a man, then?’ ‘Oh yes! ’twas a man—a gentleman! I knew that, because there were no nails in his boots, and he didn’t give at the knees as he walked.’ ‘What more?’ demanded Larry, with lowered brows. ‘Miss Rosa knew him well, because they never named each other, but only wished “good morning.” She said, “What are you doing here?” and he said, “Looking after you.” He carried a rose in his hand or his coat, I think, for I smelt it, and a cane, too, for it struck the saddle flap.’ ‘Well, that’s enough,’ interrupted Laurence, fiercely. ‘I thought you wanted to hear all about it, Larry?’ ‘Is there any more to tell, then?’ ‘Only that as they walked away together, Miss Rosa said she was so glad he was coming up to the harvest-home to-night.’ ‘So _he’s_ a-going, the cur!’ muttered the young man between his teeth. ‘_I_ know him, with his cane, and his swagger, and his stinking roses; and I’ll be even with him yet, or my name’s not Larry Barnes.’ It was evident that Mr Frederick Darley was no greater favourite in the cottage than the farm. ‘Whoever are you talking of?’ said Larry’s mother. ‘Do you know the gentleman Lizzie met with Miss Rosa?’ ‘_Gentleman!_ He’s no gentleman. He’s nothing but a common gamekeeper, same as uncle. But don’t let us talk of him any more. It takes the flavour of the bacon clean out of my mouth.’ The rest of the simple meal was performed in silence, and then Mrs Barnes gathered up the crockery and carried it into an outer room to wash. Larry and Lizzie were left alone. The girl seemed to understand that in some mysterious way she had offended her cousin, and wished to restore peace between them, so she crept up to where he was smoking his midday pipe on the old settle by the fire, and laid her head gently against his knees. They had been brought up from babes together, and were used to observe such innocent little familiarities towards each other. ‘Never mind about the outing, Larry. I’m not a bit disappointed, and I’m sorry I said anything about it.’ ‘That’s not true, Liz. You _are_ disappointed, and it’s my doing; but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t feel somehow as if I had the heart to go. But I’ve changed my mind since dinner, and we’ll go up to the harvest-home together, my girl. Will that content you?’ ‘Oh, Larry! you _are_ good!’ she said, raising herself, her cheeks crimsoned with renewed expectation; ‘but I’d rather stop at home a thousand times over than you should put yourself out of the way for me.’