op--now show me that I am right.'

And to Aubrey she put the question, whether he would like to encourage
Daisy in being a nineteenth-century young lady without reticence?

However, as Mary heard no more of their mischievous wit, Ethel was
quite willing to let them impute to herself a delusion that the
schoolmaster was smitten with Mary, and to laugh with them in private
over all the ridiculous things they chose to say.

At last Flora insisted on Ethel's coming with her to make a distant
call, and, as soon as they were in the carriage, said, 'It was not only
for the sake of Mrs. Copeland, though it is highly necessary you should
go, but it is the only way of ever speaking to you, and I want to know
what all this is about Mary?'

'The children have not been talking their nonsense to you!'

'No one ever talks nonsense to me--intentionally, I mean--not even you,
Ethel; I wish you did. But I hear it is all over the town. George has
been congratulated, and so have I, and one does not like contradicting
only to eat it up again.'

'You always did hear everything before it was true, Flora.'

'Then is it going to be true?'

'O, Flora, can it be possible?' said Ethel, with a startled, astonished
look.

'Possible! Highly obvious and proper, as it seems to me. The only
doubt in my mind was whether it were not too obvious to happen.'

'He is always coming in,' said Ethel, 'but I never thought it was
really for that mischief! The children only laugh about it as the most
preposterous thing they can think of, for he never speaks to a woman if
he can help it.'

'That may not prevent him from wanting a good wife.'

'Wanting a wife--ay, as he would want a housekeeper, just because he
has got to the proper position for it; but is he to go and get our
bonny Mary in that way, just for an appendage to the mastership?'

'Well done, old Ethel! I'm glad to see you so like yourself. I
remember when we thought Mrs. Hoxton's position very sublime.'

'I never thought of positions!'

'Never! I know that very well; and I am not thinking of it now, except
as an adjunct to a very worthy man, whom Mary will admire to the depths
of her honest heart, and who will make her very happy.'

'Yes, I suppose if she once begins to like him, that he will,' said
Ethel, slowly; 'but I can't bring myself to swallow it yet. She has
never given in to his being a bore, but I thought that was her
universal benevolence; and he says less to her th