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to themselves, in a long - faced, sorry - smiling, whimsical sort of way, and would shake their beads together over their foolishness in upsetting a well-considered choice on the strength of an hour’s fancy in the whirl and wildness of a dance. Still, they were sensible and honest young fellows enough, and did their best to make shift with their lot as they had arranged it, and not to repine at what could not now be altered or mended.

“So things remained till one fine summer day they went for their yearly little outing together, aa they had made it their custom to do for a long while past. This year they chose Budmouth-Regis as the place to apend their holiday in; and off they went in their best clothes at nine o’clock in the morning.

“When they had reached Budmouth - Regis they walked two and two along the shore—their new boote going squeakity-squash upon the clammy velvet sands, I can seem to see'em now! Then they looked at the ships in the harbor ; and then went up to the Lookout; and then had dinner at an inn; and then again walked two and two, squeakity-equash, upon the velvet sands, As evening drew on they sat on one of the public seats upon the Esplanade, and listened to the band ; and then they said “ What shall we do next ?”

“Of all things,’ said Olive (Mrs. James Hardcome, that is), ‘I should like to row in the bay! We could listen to the music from the water as well as from here, and have the fun of rowing besides.’

“The very thing; so should I,’ says Stephen, his tastes being always like hers.

Here the clerk turned to the curate.

"'But you, sir, know the rest of the strange particulars of that strange evening of their lives better than anybody else, having had much of it from their