ing; she never so much as looked at Allan when
he took his place in the boat. There she sat, with her eyes and her
complexion both much brighter than usual, taking the deepest interest in
the curate's progress toward recovery; in the state of Mrs. Pentecost's
spirits; in Pedgift Junior (for whom she ostentatiously made room
enough to let him sit beside her); in the scenery and the reed-cutter's
cottage; in everybody and everything but Allan--whom she would have
married with the greatest pleasure five minutes since. "I'll never
forgive him," thought the major's daughter. "To be thinking of that
ill-bred wretch when I was thinking of _him_; and to make me all but
confess it before I found him out! Thank Heaven, Mr. Pedgift is in the
boat!"

In this frame of mind Miss Neelie applied herself forthwith to the
fascination of Pedgift and the discomfiture of Allan. "Oh, Mr. Pedgift,
how extremely clever and kind of you to think of showing us that sweet
cottage! Lonely, Mr. Armadale? I don't think it's lonely at all; I
should like of all things to live there. What would this picnic have
been without you, Mr. Pedgift; you can't think how I have enjoyed it
since we got into the boat. Cool, Mr. Armadale? What can you possibly
mean by saying it's cool; it's the warmest evening we've had this
summer. And the music, Mr. Pedgift; how nice it was of you to bring your
concertina! I wonder if I could accompany you on the piano? I would so
like to try. Oh, yes, Mr. Armadale, no doubt you meant to do something
musical, too, and I dare say you sing very well when you know the words;
but, to tell you the truth, I always did, and always shall, hate Moore's
Melodies!"

Thus, with merciless dexterity of manipulation, did Miss Milroy work
that sharpest female weapon of offense, the tongue; and thus she would
have used it for some time longer, if Allan had only shown the necessary
jealousy, or if Pedgift had only afforded the necessary encouragement.
But adverse fortune had decreed that she should select for her victims
two men essentially unassailable under existing circumstances. Allan was
too innocent of all knowledge of female subtleties and susceptibilities
to understand anything, except that the charming Neelie was unreasonably
out of temper with him without the slightest cause. The wary Pedgift,
as became one of the quick-witted youth of the present generation,
submitted to female influence, with his eye fixed immovably all the time
on hi