Elizabeth sat very erect, her mouth proudly set, her eyes wandering into the distance of the wood. What was she to do? The affront to herself was gross--for the Squire had definitely promised her the night before that the bargain should go through. And she felt hotly for the hard-working agent. Should she put up with it? Her meditations of the night recurred to her--and she seemed to herself a very foolish woman! 'There you are!' said the Squire, as he handed the roll back to her. She looked at it unwillingly. Then her face changed. She stooped over the contract. Below the signature of the firm of timber-merchants stood large and full that of 'Edmund Mannering.' The Squire smiled. 'Now are you satisfied?' She returned the contract to its envelope, and both to her pocket. Then she looked at him uncertainly. 'May I ask what that meant?' Her voice was still strained, and her eyes by no means meek. 'I am sorry,' said the Squire hurriedly. 'I don't know--it was a whim. I wanted to have the pleasure--' 'Of seeing how a person looks under a sudden disappointment?' said Elizabeth, with rather pinched lips. 'Not at all. It was a childish thing--I wanted to see you smile when I gave you the thing back. There--that's the truth. It was you disappointed me!' Elizabeth's wrath vanished. She hid her face in her hands and laughed. But there was agitation behind the laughter. These were not the normal ways of a reasonable man. When she looked up, the Squire had moved to a log close beside her. The March sun was pouring down upon them, and there was a robin singing, quite undisturbed by their presence, in a holly-bush near. The Squire's wilful countenance had never seemed to Elizabeth more full of an uncanny and even threatening energy. Involuntarily she withdrew her seat. 'I wish to be allowed to make a very serious proposition to you,' he said eagerly, 'one that I have been considering for weeks.' Elizabeth--rather weakly--put up a protesting hand. 'I am afraid I must point out to you, Mr. Mannering, that Mrs. Gaddesden will be waiting lunch.' 'If I know Alice, she will not wait lunch! And anyway there are things more important than lunch. May I take it for granted, Miss Bremerton, that you have not been altogether dissatisfied with your life here during this six months?' Elizabeth looked him gravely in the face. It was clear there was to be no escape. 'How could I have been, Mr. Mannering? You have taught me a great, great deal--and given me wonderful opportunities.' The Squire nodded, with a look of satisfaction.