e, Miss Mackenzie. I can understand all
about it; and if I can be of any assistance, I shall be very happy.
No doubt you feel a little shy, but you needn't mind with me."

"I'm sure you're very good."

"I don't know about that, but I hope I'm not very bad. The long and
the short of it is, I suppose, that you think you might as
well--might as well take Mr Maguire."

Miss Mackenzie felt thoroughly ashamed of herself. She could not
explain to Miss Todd all her best motives; and then, those motives
which were not the best were made to seem so very weak and mean by
the way in which Miss Todd approached them. When she thought of the
matter alone, it seemed to her that she was perfectly reasonable in
wishing to be married, in order that she might escape the monotony of
a lonely life; and she thought that if she could talk to Miss Todd
about the subject gently, for a quarter of an hour at a time every
day for two or three months, it was possible that she might explain
her views with credit to herself; but how could she do this to anyone
so very abruptly? She could only confess that she did want to marry
the man, as the child confesses her longing for a tart.

"I have thought about it, certainly," she said.

"Quite right," said Miss Todd; "quite right if you like him. Now for
me, I'm so fond of my own money and my own independence, that I've
never had a fancy that way,--not since I was a girl."

"But you're so different, Miss Todd; you've got such a position of
your own."

And Miss Mackenzie, who was at present desirous of marrying a very
strict evangelical clergyman, thought with envy of the social
advantages and pleasant iniquities of her wicked neighbour.

"Oh, I don't know. I've a few friends, but that comes of being here
so long. And then, you see, I ain't particular as you are. I always
see that when a lady goes in to be evangelical, she soon finds a
husband to take care of her; that is, if she has got any money. It
all goes on very well, and I've no doubt they're right. There's my
friend Mary Baker, she's single still; but then she began very late
in life. Now about Mr Maguire."

"Well, Miss Todd."

"In the first place, I really don't think he has got much that he can
call his own."

"He hasn't got anything, Miss Todd; he told me so himself."

"Did he, indeed?" said Miss Todd; "then let me tell you he is a deal
honester than they are in general."

"Oh, he told me that. I know he's got no income in the wor