and what she was looking for。 In a fever of distress lest Owen
should be left behind； she gathered up in her hand the corners of
her handkerchief； containing specimens of the shells； plants； and
fossils which the locality produced； started off to the sands； and
mingled with the knots of visitors there congregated from other
interesting points around； from the inn； the cottages； and hired
conveyances that had returned from short drives inland。 They all
went aboard by the primitive plan of a narrow plank on two wheels
the women being assisted by a rope。 Cytherea lingered till the very
last； reluctant to follow； and looking alternately at the boat and
the valley behind。 Her delay provoked a remark from Captain Jacobs；
a thickset man of hybrid stains； resulting from the mixed effects of
fire and water； peculiar to sailors where engines are the propelling
power。
'Now then； missy； if you please。 I am sorry to tell 'ee our time's
up。 Who are you looking for； miss？'
'My brotherhe has walked a short distance inland； he must be here
directly。 Could you wait for himjust a minute？'
'Really； I am afraid not； m'm。' Cytherea looked at the stout；
round…faced man； and at the vessel； with a light in her eyes so
expressive of her own opinion being the same； on reflection； as his；
and with such resignation； too； that； from an instinctive feeling of
pride at being able to prove himself more humane than he was thought
to beworks of supererogation are the only sacrifices that entice
in this wayand that at a very small cost； he delayed the boat till
some among the passengers began to murmur。
'There； never mind；' said Cytherea decisively。 'Go on without meI
shall wait for him。'
'Well； 'tis a very awkward thing to leave you here all alone；' said
the captain。 'I certainly advise you not to wait。'
'He's gone across to the railway station； for certain；' said another
passenger。
'Nohere he is！' Cytherea said； regarding； as she spoke； the half
hidden figure of a man who was seen advancing at a headlong pace
down the ravine which lay between the heath and the shore。
'He can't get here in less than five minutes；' a passenger said。
'People should know what they are about； and keep time。 Really； if…
…'
'You see； sir；' said the captain； in an apologetic undertone； 'since
'tis her brother； and she's all alone； 'tis only nater to wait a
minute； now he's in sight。 Suppose； now； you were a young woman； as
might be； and had a brother； like this one； and you stood of an
evening upon this here wild lonely shore； like her； why you'd want
us to wait； too； wouldn't you； sir？ I think you would。'
The person so hastily approaching had been lost to view during this
remark by reason of a hollow in the ground； and the projecting cliff
immediately at hand covered the path in its rise。 His footsteps
were now heard striking sharply upon the flinty road at a distance
of about twenty or thirty yards； but still behind the escarpment。
To save time； Cytherea prepared to ascend the plank。
'Let me give you my hand； miss；' said Captain Jacobs。
'Noplease don't touch me；' said she； ascending cautiously by
sliding one foot forward two or three inches； bringing up the other
behind it； and so on alternatelyher lips compressed by
concentration on the feat； her eyes glued to the plank； her hand to
the rope； and her immediate thought to the fact of the distressing
narrowness of her footing。 Steps now shook the lower end of the
board； and in an instant were up to her heels with a bound。
'O； Owen； I am so glad you are come！' she said without turning。
'Don't； don't shake the plank or touch me； whatever you do。 。 。 。
There； I am up。 Where have you been so long？' she continued； in a
lower tone； turning round to him as she reached the top。
Raising her eyes from her feet； which； standing on the firm deck；
demanded her attention no longer； she acquired perceptions of the
new…comer in the following order： unknown trousers； unknown
waistcoat； unknown face。 The man was not her brother； but a total
stranger。
Off went the plank； the paddles started； stopped； backed； pattered
in confusion； then revolved decisively； and the boat passed out into
deep water。
One or two persons had said； 'How d'ye do； Mr。 Springrove？' and
looked at Cytherea； to see how she bore her disappointment。 Her
ears had but just caught the name of the head draughtsman； when she
saw him advancing directly to address her。
'Miss Graye； I believe？' he said； lifting his hat。
'Yes；' said Cytherea； colouring； and trying not to look guilty of a
surreptitious knowledge of him。
'I am Mr。 Springrove。 I passed Corvsgate Castle about an hour ago；
and soon afterwards met your brother going that way。 He had been
deceived in the distance； and was about to turn without seeing the
ruin； on account of a lameness that had come on in his leg or foot。
I proposed that he should go on； since he had got so near； and
afterwards； instead of walking back to the boat； get across to
Anglebury Stationa shorter walk for himwhere he could catch the
late train； and go directly home。 I could let you know what he had
done； and allay any uneasiness。'
'Is the lameness serious； do you know？'
'O no； simply from over…walking himself。 Still； it was just as well
to ride home。'
Relieved from her apprehensions on Owen's score； she was able
slightly to examine the appearance of her informantEdward
Springrovewho now removed his hat for a while； to cool himself。
He was rather above her brother's height。 Although the upper part
of his face and head was handsomely formed； and bounded by lines of
sufficiently masculine regularity； his brows were somewhat too
softly arched； and finely pencilled for one of his sex； without
prejudice； however； to the belief which the sum total of his
features inspiredthat though they did not prove that the man who
thought inside them would do much in the world； men who had done
most of all had had no better ones。 Across his forehead； otherwise
perfectly smooth； ran one thin line； the healthy freshness of his
remaining features expressing that it had come there prematurely。
Though some years short of the age at which the clear spirit bids
good…bye to the last infirmity of noble mind； and takes to house…
hunting and investments； he had reached the period in a young man's
life when episodic periods； with a hopeful birth and a disappointing
death； have begun to accumulate； and to bear a fruit of
generalities； his glance sometimes seeming to state； 'I have already
thought out the issue of such conditions as these we are
experiencing。' At other times he wore an abstracted look： 'I seem
to have lived through this moment before。'
He was carelessly dressed in dark grey； wearing a rolled…up black
kerchief as a neck…cloth； the knot of which was disarranged； and
stood obliquelya deposit of white dust having lodged in the
creases。
'I am sorry for your disappointment；' he continued； glancing into
her face。 Their eyes having met； became； as it were； mutually
locked together； and the single instant only which good breeding
allows as the length of such a look； became trebled： a clear
penetrating ray of intelligence had shot from each into each； giving
birth to one of those unaccountable sensations which carry home to
the heart before the hand has been touched or the merest compliment
passed； by something stronger than mathematical proof； the
conviction； 'A tie has begun to unite us。'
Both faces also unconsciously stated that their owners had been much
in each other's thoughts of late。 Owen had talked to the young
architect of his sister as freely as to Cytherea of the young
architect。
A conversation began； which was none the less interesting to the
parties engaged because it consisted only of the most trivial and
commonplace remarks。 Then the band of harps and violins struck up a
lively melody； and the deck was cleared for dancing； the sun dipping
beneath the horizon during the proceeding； and the moon showing
herself at their stern。 The sea was so calm； that the soft hiss
produced by the bursting of the innumerable bubbles of foam behind
the paddles could be distinctly heard。 The passengers who did not
dance； including Cytherea and Springrove； lapsed into silence；
leaning against the paddle…boxes； or standing aloofnoticing the
trembling of the deck to the steps of the dancewatching the waves
from the paddles as they slid thinly and easily under each other's
edges。
Night had quite closed in by the time they reached Budmouth harbour；
sparkling with its white； red； and green lights in opposition to the
shimmering path of the moon's reflection on the other side； which
reached away to the horizon till the flecked ripples reduced
themselves to sparkles as fine as gold dust。
'I will walk to the station and find out the exact time the train
arrives；' said Springrove； rather eagerly； when they had landed。
She thanked him much。
'Perhaps we might walk together；' he suggested hesitatingly。 She
looked as if she did not quite know； and he settled the question by
showing the way。
They found； on arriving there； that on the first day of that month
the particular train selected for Graye's return had ceased to stop
at Anglebury station。
'I am very sorry I misled him；' said Springrove。
'O； I am not alarmed at all；' replied Cytherea。
'Well； it's sure to be all righthe will sleep there； and come by
the first in the morning。 But what will you do； alone？'
'I am quite easy on that point； the landlady is very friendly。 I
must go indoors now。 Good…night； Mr。 Springrove。'
'Let me go round to your door with you？' he pleaded。
'No； thank you； we live close by。'
He looked at her as a waiter looks at the change he brings back。
But she was inexorable。
'Don'tforget me；' he murmured。 She did not answer。
'Let me see you sometimes；' he said。
'Perhaps you never will againI am going away；' she replied in
lingering tones； and turning into Cross Street； ran indoors and
upstairs。
The sudden withdrawal of what was superfluous at first； is often
felt as an essential loss。 It was felt now with regard to the
maiden。 More； too； after a meeting so