she--that she--"

"Not jealousy of that kind, Miss Mackenzie. Oh dear, no. She's as
pure as the undriven snow, I should say, as far as that goes. But she
can't bear to think that I should rise in the world."

"I thought she wanted to marry you to a suitable lady, and young,
with a fair provision."

"Pshaw! The lady has about seventy pounds a-year! But that would
signify nothing if I loved her, Miss Mackenzie."

"There has been something, then?"

"Yes; there has been something. That is, nothing of my
doing,--nothing on earth. Miss Mackenzie, I am as innocent as the
babe unborn."

As he said this she could not help looking into the horrors of his
eyes, and thinking that innocent was not the word for him.

"I'm as innocent as the babe unborn. Why should I be expected to
marry a lady merely because Mrs Stumfold tells me that there she is?
And it's my belief that old Peters has got their money somewhere, and
won't give it up, and that that's the reason of it."

"But did you ever say you would marry her?"

"What! Miss Floss, never! I'll tell you the whole story, Miss
Mackenzie; and if you want to ask any one else, you can ask Mrs
Perch." Mrs Perch was the coachbuilder's wife. "You've seen Miss
Floss at Mrs Stumfold's, and must know yourself whether I ever
noticed her any more than to be decently civil."

"Is she the lady that's so thin and tall?"

"Yes."

"With the red hair?"

"Well, it's sandy, certainly. I shouldn't call it just red myself."

"Some people like red hair, you know," said Miss Mackenzie, thinking
of the suitable lady. Miss Mackenzie was willing at that moment to
forfeit all her fortune if Miss Floss was not older than she was!
"And that is Miss Floss, is it?"

"Yes, and I don't blame Mrs Stumfold for wishing to get a husband for
her friend, but it is hard upon me."

"Really, Mr Maguire, I think that perhaps you couldn't do better."

"Better than what?"

"Better than take Miss Floss. As you say, some people like red hair.
And she is very suitable, certainly. And, Mr Maguire, I really
shouldn't like to interfere;--I shouldn't indeed."

"Miss Mackenzie, you're joking, I know."

"Not in the least, Mr Maguire. You see there has been something about
it."

"There has been nothing."

"There's never smoke without fire; and I don't think a lady like Mrs
Stumfold would come here and tell me all that she did, if it hadn't
gone some way. And you owned just now that you admired her."

"I neve