cross his mind,
it did not dwell there. He trusted Belton; but as to his daughter, he
knew that he might be sure of her. It would be impossible with her to
keep such a secret from him, even for half a day. And yet, how odd
it was! Here was a man who in three days had fallen in love with his
daughter; and here was his daughter apparently quite as ready to be
in love with the man. How could she, who was ordinarily circumspect,
and almost cold in her demeanour towards strangers--who was from
circumstances and from her own disposition altogether hostile to
flirting intimacies--how could his Clara have changed her nature
so speedily? The squire did not understand it, but was prepared to
believe that it was all for the best. "I'll call him Will, if you
like it," said he.

"Do, papa, and then I can do so also. He is such a good fellow, and
I am so fond of him."

On the next morning Mr. Amedroz did, with much awkwardness, call
his guest by his Christian name. Clara caught her cousin's eye and
smiled, and he also smiled. At that moment he was more in love than
ever. Could anything be more charming than this? Immediately after
breakfast he was going over to Redicote, to see a builder in a small
way who lived there, and whom he proposed to employ in putting up the
shed for the cattle; but he almost begrudged the time, so anxious was
he to begin his suit. But his plan had been laid out and he would
follow it. "I think I shall be back by three o'clock," he said to
Clara, "and then we'll have our walk."

"I'll be ready; and you can call for me at Mrs. Askerton's. I must go
down there, and it will save you something in your walk to pick me up
at the cottage." And so the arrangements for the day were made.

Clara had promised that she would soon call at the cottage, and was,
indeed, rather anxious to see Mrs. Askerton on her own account. What
she had heard from her cousin as to a certain Miss Vigo of old days
had interested her, and also what she had heard of a certain Mr.
Berdmore. It had been evident to her that her cousin had thought
little about it. The likeness of the lady he then saw to the lady he
had before known, had at first struck him; but when he found that the
two ladies were not represented by one and the same person, he was
satisfied, and there was an end of the matter for him. But it was
not so with Clara. Her feminine mind dwelt on the matter with more
earnestness than he had cared to entertain, and her clearer in