e,--quite--"

"She is quite everything that she ought to be, Ralph."

"I'm sure of that;--an angel, you know, and all the rest of it. But
angels are cold, you know. I don't know that I ever admired a girl
so much in my life." The pressure was again lessened,--all but
annihilated. "But, somehow, I should never dream of falling in love
with your cousin."

"Perhaps you may do so without dreaming," said Clary, as
unconsciously she gave back the weight to her hand.

"No;--I know very well the sort of girl that makes me spoony." This
was not very encouraging to poor Clary, but still she presumed that
he meant to imply that she herself was a girl of the sort that so
acted upon him. And the conversation went on in this way throughout
the walk. There was not much encouragement to her, and certainly she
did not say a word to him that could make him feel that she wanted
encouragement. But still he had been with her, and she had been
happy; and when they parted at the gate, and he again pressed her
hand, she thought that things had gone well. "He must know that I
have forgiven him now!" she said to herself.

CHAPTER XIII.

MR. NEEFIT IS DISTURBED.

On the morning following Mrs. Brownlow's little tea-party Ralph
Newton was bound by appointment to call upon Sir Thomas. But before
he started on that duty a certain friend of his called upon him.
This friend was Mr. Neefit. But before the necessary account of Mr.
Neefit's mission is given, the reader must be made acquainted with a
few circumstances as they had occurred at Hendon.

It will be remembered perhaps that on the Sunday evening the two
rivals left the cottage at the same moment, one taking the road to
the right, and the other that to the left,--so that bloodshed, for
that occasion at least, was prevented. "Neefit," said his wife to
him when they were alone together, "you'll be getting yourself into
trouble." "You be blowed," said Neefit. He was very angry with his
wife, and was considering what steps he would take to maintain his
proper marital and parental authority. He was not going to give way
to the weaker vessel in a matter of such paramount importance, as to
be made a fool of in his own family. He was quite sure of this, while
the strength of the port wine still stood to him; and though he was
somewhat more troubled in spirit when his wife began to bully him
on the next morning, he still had valour enough to say that Ontario
Moggs also might be--blowed.