"  How  far  ?"  There  was  something  of  his  father's
insistence  in  Lawrence's  voice.
"  To  Granby,"  replied  Elmira  then,  and  tried  to
speak  on  unconcernedly.  She  was  ashamed  to  let
him  know  how  far  she  had  planned  to  walk  because
of  her  poverty.
"  Granby  !"  cried  Lawrence,  with  a  whistle  of  as-
tonishment ;  "why,  that  is  seven  miles  farther !  You
are  not  going  to  walk  to  Granby  and  back  to  day  ?"
I  like  to  walk,"  said  Elmira,  timidly.
Why,  but  it  is  a  warm  day,  and  you  are  breath-
ing short  now."  Lawrence  pulled  the  mare  up  with
a  sharp  whoa.     "  Now  111  tell  you  what  I'll  do,"  he


247


said.  '*  You  sit  down  here  on  that  stone  and  rest,
and  111  ride  back  home  and  put  the  mare  into  the
chaise,  and  Fll  drive  you  over  there/'

*'  No,  thank  you ;  I'd  rather  walk,"  said  Elmira,
all  touched  to  bliss  by  his  solicitude,  but  resolved  in
her  pride  of  poor  maidenhood  that  she  would  not
profit  by  it.
"  Let  him  go  back  and  get  the  chaise,  and  have  all
the  town  talking  because  Lawrence  Prescott  caught
me  walking  ten  miles  to  get  a  dress  cut  ?  I  guess  I
won't !"  she  told  herself.
"You  are  just  the  same  as  ever  ;  you  would  never
let  anybody  do  anything  for  you  unless  you  paid
them  for  it,"  said  Lawrence,  half  angrily.  Then  he
added,  bending  low  towards  her,  "  But  you  would  pay
me,  measure  pressed  down  and  running  over,  by  go-
ing with  me — you  know  that,  Elmira."

Elmira  lost  her  step  again,  and  her  voice  trembled
a  little,  though  she  strove  to  speak  sharply.  "  I  like
to  walk,"  said  she.
