‘Lard, how restless these young chaps do be!’ ejaculated Isaac, as he scraped his chair across the tiled floor to the hearth; ‘a body mid think he’d be glad enough to set down for a bit. I’ll engage he’ll find it hard enough to turn out to-morrow morn.’ When Richard had proceeded a little way he paused, and drew a long breath; then, wheeling round swiftly, began to retrace his steps, brought himself to a stand-still for the second time, his hands clenched, his eyes fixed; finally, crying aloud: ‘I will do it—I must do it!’ He turned once more, and pursued his former course. The sun had set some time before, but the heavens were still luminous; the rosy glow which lingered at the horizon merging into soft primrose, which in its turn melted into an exquisite ethereal green. Against this lambent background the hills and woods stood out darkly purple, while the little copses scattered here and there upon the downs, and the hedge at the further end, appeared to be almost black. Little parties of his uncle’s sheep scurried out of Richard’s way, a bell tinkling here and there among them; birds flew almost into his face as he passed the groups of trees before alluded to; when he forced his way through the hedge a trailing tendril of honeysuckle, wet with the heavy dew, flapped against his face; every now and then a rabbit crossed his path, its passage scarcely noticeable in the dusk save for the flash of its little white tail. There must have been thyme growing on or about those downs, for its fragrance was strong in the air. Richard did not, however, pause to inhale it—it is even doubtful if he noticed it; yet, when by-and-by entering Rosalie’s fields he skirted a bank overgrown with primroses, their perfume for a moment turned him almost faint. Here was the house at last—how quiet at this hour! Nothing seemed to be stirring; no one was about. Susan appeared in answer to a somewhat tremulous knock, and informed him that her mistress was in the garden. ‘I’ll soon call her,’ she added. ‘No, no,’ he returned quickly. ‘I will go to her—I only want to see her for a moment.’ Who knew? She might refuse to obey the summons; it was best to come upon her without warning. ‘Round to the left,’ explained Susan; ‘the path leads you up to the gate.’