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The ground was hard beneath his feet and, hav? taken off his cap, the wind blew coolly through is hair.

Avoiding hamlets, he made for the hills. He knew

this route: it led slowly upwards towards a near vertical outcrop which brought him to a small plateau from where, in the far distance, could be seen Durham Cathedral rising from its perch on the bank of the river Wear. To the left was Gateshead, and beyond it, across the Tyne, was Newcastle.

He had only recently got to know the North country. His mother was a Sussex woman and his father half-French. But his mother's sister Ada lived in Middlesbrough which is where his mother was staying at the present time, and not liking the situation at all. And as her rheumatism was worsening with the years he felt, if not through love, which he had for her, then duty bound, he had to bring her nearer to him.

But today he wouldn't think about it, today he was free: there were no bowel troubles to see to, no biles, warts, sore feet, headaches, all of which were on the lighter side. The incurables were another matter.

He now stretched himself out on the hard turf, his hands behind his head, his cap shading his eyes, and it was no surprise to him that his mind immediately touched on Pine Hurst. He was again at the garden party and he could see himself almost frolicking with that young sprite, Rosie. Then came the picture of the sister Helen, the one who was shortly to be married. And he wondered, yet again, why her face should have made such an impression on him. Yes, she was indeed beautiful, but he had seen beautiful girls before, beautiful women of all ages. Yes, of all ages, because every age had its beauty. But hers was of a different kind. And then there was Marion. Marion puzzled him. She, too, he had learned, was going to be married. His thoughts, of a sudden, jumped to the

*iltther. He was glad he wasn't on his list; he couldn't

litnd his type; bumptious, arrogant. If anyone played and L dg me anor, he did.

And yet, he under-

laod the man's father had been just the opposite.

He ieaHed Rosie's description of her grandfather which litted in with what he had heard from Comwallis. As Itosie had put it, he must have been a lovely old man.

bar 0ey seemed to be a special word she used in dellpribing those she liked. But where did the girl Be-itnce come in this family? She was running it now.

*bar ra way he felt sorry for her. He didn't know why,

6Bt less-than De did. She wasn't like any of the others. Alill)h she was quite pretty, she had no particular

bar bar Braction.

22ar bar bar Ahwell, he sighed, they were all down there in the iKey and he was up here, at peace with the elements Id God. Yet was he? Why did he keep thinking, in le back of his mind, that he had arrived too late?

*gg'o late for what?

bar bar Jf..was that a rabbit scurrying across the sward? wid one have scaled this tor? Why not?

Necessity, l bar like bar tongh time and circumstance, made life. iWhen a dream voice said, "I'm sorry," he answered bar bar bar in return, saying, "You couldn't help it.

You weren't

32ar bar bar la"...ow. I came a year too late. I'm sorry, too. These bar bar bar a happen out of the blue." Then a warm, soft, blankness came over him and he let himrto it.

ig he had slept he did not know. But he lis face was hot. His cap must have slipped the sun was very bright in his eyes. He'd orrow; his skin burnt easily. But then it a nice tan, but a rough brown. His mother

used to say it was attractive. That reminded him, he must see about his mother. He must ask for a few days off.

When he opened his eyes slowly and blinked into the sunlight he saw a face, and it was smiling at him. So he closed his eyes tight again.

You've had a nice sleep."

He sat up so quickly that his back went into a cramp, and he grimaced as he stared to the side and saw Helen Steel sitting there.

When he went to get to his feet she put her hand out and said on a laugh, 'Don't jump up!

Doctors say it's bad for the heart. You could give yourself a turn." She was nodding at him.

He covered his face for a moment, then muttered, "I'm sorry. How long have you been up here?"'

"Oh, let me see." She put up a hand to cover her eyes, and, her head back, she said,

"Since time and circumstance made life, and you were sony for something."

"How long ago was that?"'

She turned her fob watch around and after a moment said, "Forty-two minutes, to be exact."

"And you've been sitting there all that time?"'

"Well, lik you, I needed a rest after that stiff climb. But I judged that you needed it more than I, you having been up half the night."

His eyes widened and he ran his hand through his hair, endeavouring to flatten it, before he asked her, "How do you know I've been up half the night?"'

"Needier told me."

"Needier?"'

"Yes; he was taking Pansy to be shod and you were returning the horse you had borrowed from Ben AtIdBson, the blacksmith, because Isaac Green's place Ifca good four miles out and it was three in the momland Nancy was having a very bad time."

1 think both Needier and Ben Atkinson should start a nwspaper business."

jShe laughed now as she said, 'Was it a boy or a g bar ?"' And when he answered,

"Both," her mouth widd and she said, "Not twins!" And he nodded at her, bar just bar bar ang, "Yes, twins. That makes eleven." Good gracious! And she's also lost four."

eyes widened still further. 'How do you know lost four?"' And then, both their heads bobbing, her they said, "Needier."

was laughing out loud now as she went on, "yissst said that Isaac took Nancy for a rabbit and both ate the grass together. He also said that read the Bible every day and stuck to it to the

body was bent forward now and they were laughing together; then, turning his head to the

he rubbed the water from each eye, he said, "ink Needier forgets he's talking to a young lady."

you shocked?"'

hocked? Me! No. But it's a surprise to find young so well informed on certain matters."

we're all well informed. Grandpapa saw to and good for Grandpapa. He used to take us next you know, when the pigs were being bom, and B!? r am used to talk about things. And then B was Robbie.

Rosie's trailed Robbie since she g walk or crawl under the fence, or paddle round jjjaB. And like us all, her education was extended through a couple of cows, the five goats, and the pony which gave birth to a beautiful foal, but which died the same day; and on that day I can tell you there was a lot of wailing in our house that even Father couldn't stop. Of course, you will know by now about the war between Father and the Macintoshes, having talked with Rosie."

He nodded at her, saying, 'Well, I did learn quite a bit, yes. He seems to be a very enterprising young man, that Robbie Macintosh: it's a miniature farm he has behind the wall."

"Yes." Her face lost its smile now as she said, "And it still remains a bone of contention.

Anyway, here we are." She leaned back on her hands and stared up into the sky saying, "Isn't this the most wonderful spot?"'

"Yes. Yes, it is."

"How did you come across it?"'

"Oh, well, I'm a bit of a climber."

"Really? You climb mountains?"'

"If I can find one handy, yes. But that last sixty feet almost vertical up to here keeps cne in very good practice. How on earth did you make it?"'

"I, sir, like climbing, too. I've come up here for... oh, years and years. Even in the winter.

It's an amazing sight from here in the winter: everything stands out unblurred.

He now watched her pass her tongue over her lips, which caused him to ask, 'Are you thirsty?"'

"Yes. Yes, I am. I generally bring something with me but I didn't today; I came out in rather a hurry." Her face lost its laughter again. And now he said,

JS-JJI can quench your thirst, but will you be able Hnk it? it's beer."

yfbsa she said, 'Old or mild?"' he let out a hoot of bar bar gh, reached back, gripped his knapsack and, feela bottle, he said, "Oh, it'll be mild, I think. pland" be warm; I should have put it in the shade." IS-LFELL, that would be difficult to find up here." bar bar CO-ULD have hung it down the

rock if I'd had any bar bar @.ence; here's a

stump of a tree over there," he nodI Then he poured out a cupful of the beer and dedittoher.

bar ien she emptied it on the second go, then handed bar just back the mug, he had to quell the sudden urge pp her hand and pull her to his side.

bar fe remained quiet as he poured out a drink for pelf; then, taking the cardboard box from the mids me knapsack, he said, 'ationothing in here comes En Mrs Pearson's." i she as bad as all that, her cooking?"' bar Worse. And the trouble is, if you're polite and say S bar like something, you get it five days in the week." bar 9h Cook's like that, too. I once said I loved her werehis duff and she's made me special ones since.

The s can be having trifle, or apple dumplings, or bar tfaing, but I have plum duff." She now imitated k's voice in saying, "Cos Miss Helen's partial to at fcin"dis" She shook her head here and added, 'I've bar er been partial to packing. But I've got a good I in Janie."

She nodded as she explained: "Janie tett the parlourmaid you know. And Flossie and bar dy, the dogs, always know when it's packing day hey bark their thanks when they see me."

Hand kept his eyes on her as he said,

"Cheese, tomato or... their best ham."

"I'll take their best ham, sir, thank you."

He handed her the box and joined in her mood as he said. "At your service, madam. They're on the right, that will be your left." Again they were laughing.

He finished one bottle of beer and opened the second. And as she took the mug from him, she held it to her lips and laughingly said, "Wouldn't it cause a sensation if I went rolling in the front door and Father demaded, "Where have you been, girl?"

and I replied this a wide grin, "Out with the doctor.

Sitting on the top of Craig's Tor." ...Oh my!"

She drank the beer; then as she handed him the mug stie said, "I'm going to lose my ladylike manners again nd say I've thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon. I can't tell you when I've had such fun."

He tared into her eyes; they seemed to be waiting for his gaze. He asked quietly now, "When are you going to be married?"'

Her voice was as low as his, as she said,

"Next

Easter.

'Whre are you going to live?"' "In Hampshire at first. We've rented a little house there."

"Oh! Their gaze never wavered as he went on, 'I hope y"...u'Us be very happy."

"I'm sure I shall. Yes; yes," her nodding was e phatic, "I" sure I shall."

Suddenly he sat back and pulled out his watch and exclaimd in a loud voice, 'Good heavens! Do yo Inow the time? Half-past four and I've got a surgery

bar gye. I'll have to get down there quicker than I got bar bar bar dis.why had he said this? He had no surgery today. bar fter pushing the box and empty bottles into his lsack, he rose hastily to his feet and, looking ln at her where she remained sitting, her hands pBd her knees, he said, 'allyou won't be coming Itm yet" not as a question but in the form of a Hement and she said very quietly, "No; if you don't d Anyway I'm not going back home, I'm going

bar tere." She pointed. "Can you see the top of that

bar Se down in the valley?"'

bar bar es. Yes, I can just see it."

ftliave a friend lives there. That's really where I was making for when I was tempted up here." Pand

*looks a long way off."

fot as the crow flies. Three miles from here, perils about five or so from the town." pshing out the palm of his hand towards her, he d "Don't get up. Just sit there like that." And she ed up at him, her face unsmiling, then said quietly, Jt bar nk you for a lovely afternoon. I'll always remem-bar bar So shall I, always," he said and turning quickly, bar et himself over the edge of the plateau. Nr his head disappeared she stared towards the bar Se in the far valley. Then she brought up her knees I put her hands around them, and laid her head bar hem.

And so she sat; and she said to herself Time It circumstance make life.

Is Wallace's farm a big one, Robbie?"'

asked Rosie.

"Well, it's all a matter of what you call big. No, I wouldn't say it was big, anything but.

Yet it isn't just a smallholding like this. He keeps half a dozen cows on it and a few sheep.

And he also goes droving at times. That used to be his permanent job, a drover. Why do you ask?"'

"Oh, no reason."

"You never ask questions without a reason. Now, why d'you ask?

'Well, I saw the son, Jackie...isn't he called Jackie? And he was in our pine wood the other day."

Robbie stopped what he was doing and turned to her and said, "to your pine wood? What was he doing there?

He'd better look out for your father, hadn't he?

Especially if he's got his gun with him." He smiled.

"Well, that's what I thought."

"Was he picking up wood?"'

"No; he was just walking, and he jumped the railing and went into the field... Is Mrs Wallace a nic woman, Robbie?"'

11-" he gave a bit of a laugh as he said, ds on what you mean by nice. To be nice ce character... kindly?"'

ist nice."

le's pretty, and lively in a sort of way.

But

her into your mind?"'

?"' His eyes narrowed as he looked at her. is Rosie: if she asked a question it was thought. She was fast growing up; she iuch of a tomboy now. In fact, that phase have lessened during these last few resisted putting his arm around her shouling, 'Come on, spill it. You know me, I'll you." That was a tactic he had used when ning wild; but now she was turning into ly. The youngest of the Steel bunch, the Jrthem. What was he going to do about it? What bar every do about it? He knew what would happen, bar get a bullet in the back some dark night. He bar But told himself he wasn't afraid of anybody on t earth that he was like his father, but that was J0Us were facing an enemy, one you knew, to a B degree, what he was about. But you never bar what Simon Steel was about; he worked in the Jye, and in more ways than one. It wouldn't be Je had got wind of...?