y. Anna might be proud. She might
even speak of the Professor in the condescending tone which so many
people used in Dornton. Mrs Forrest at Waverley always looked proud,
Delia thought. Perhaps Anna would be like her.

"If she is," said Delia to herself, suddenly stopping to snap off the
head of a snapdragon which grew in an angle of the old red wall--"if she
is--if she dares--if she doesn't see that the Professor is worth more
than all the people in Dornton--_I will_ despise her--I will--"

She stopped and shook her head.

"And if it's the other way, and she loves and honours him as she ought,
and is everything to him, and, and, takes my place, what shall I do
then? Why, then, I will try not to detest her."

She laughed a little as she stooped to gather some white pinks which
bordered the path, and fastened them in her dress.

"Pretty she is sure to be," she continued to herself, "like her mother,
whom they never mention without praise--and she is almost certain to
love music. Dear old Professor, how pleased he will be! I will try not
to mind, but I do hope she can't play the violin as well as I do. After
all, it would be rather unfair if she had a beautiful face and a musical
soul as well."

The bell stopped, and the succeeding silence was harshly broken by the
shrill whistle of a train.

"There's the five o'clock train," said Delia to herself; "to-morrow by
this time she will be here."

Mrs Winn and Miss Gibbins meanwhile had pursued their way home
together, for they lived close to each other.

"It's a pity Delia Hunt has such blunt manners, isn't it?" said the
latter regretfully, "and such very decided opinions for a young girl?
It's not at all becoming. I felt quite uncomfortable just now."

"She'll know better by-and-by," said Mrs Winn. "There's a great deal
of good in Delia, but she is conceited and self-willed, like all young
people."

Miss Gibbins sighed. "She'll never be so amiable as her dear mother,"
she said.--"Why!" suddenly changing her tone to one of surprise, "isn't
that Mr Oswald?"

"Yes, I think so," said Mrs Winn, gazing after the spring-cart which
had passed them rapidly. "What then?"

"He had a _child_ with him," said Miss Gibbins impressively. "A child
with fair hair, like Prissy Goodwin's, and they came from the station.
Something tells me it was Prissy's daughter."

"Nonsense, Julia," replied Mrs Winn; "she's not expected till
to-morrow. Mrs Forrest told Mrs Hunt