These thoughts no sooner came into Hetty's brain than she resolved to act upon them. She snatched up a volume of L. E. L.'s poems--their weak and lovelorn phrases exactly suited her style and order of mind--and ran quickly down to a dancing rivulet which ran its merry course about a hundred yards back of the Inn. She sat by the bank, pulled a great bunch of forget-me-nots, laid them on the open pages of her book, and looked musingly down at the flowers. Footsteps were heard crunching the underwood at the opposite side. A voice presently sounded in her ears. Hetty's heart beat loudly. "How do you do?" said the voice. "Good-evening, Mr. Robert," she replied. Her tone was demure and extremely respectful. She started to her feet, letting her flowers drop as she did so. A blush suffused her lovely face, her dancing eyes were raised for a quick moment, then as suddenly lowered. She made a beautiful picture. The young man who stood a few feet away from her, with the running water dividing them, evidently thought so. He had a boyish figure--a handsome, manly face. His eyes were very dark, deeply set, and capable of much thought. He looked every inch the gentleman. "Is Armitage in?" he asked after a pause. "I don't know, Mr. Robert, I'll go and inquire if you like." "No, it doesn't matter. The Squire asked me to call and beg of your uncle to come to the Court to-morrow morning. Will you give him the message?" "Yes, Mr. Robert." There was a perceptible pause. Hetty looked down at the water. Awdrey looked at her. "Good-evening," he said then. "Good-evening, sir," she replied. He turned and walked slowly up the narrow path which led toward the Court. "His eyes told me to-night that he thought me pretty," muttered Hetty to herself, "why doesn't he say it with his lips? I--I wish I could make him. Oh, is that you, Mr. Frere?" "Yes, Hetty. I promised to come, and I am here. The evening is a perfect one, let us follow the stream a little way." Hetty was about to say "No," when suddenly lifting her eyes, she observed that the young Squire had paused under the shade of a great elm-tree a little further up the bank. A quick idea darted into her vain little soul. She would walk past the Squire without pretending to see him, in Frere's company. Frere should make love to her in the Squire's presence. She gave her lover a coy and affectionate glance. "Yes, come," she said: "it is pretty by the stream; perhaps I'll give you some forget-me-nots presently." "I want the heart's-ease which you have already picked for me," said Frere. "Oh, there's time enough." Frere advanced a step, and laid his hand on the girl's arm.