of that of any other young man, before people who knew her whole
story. "He'll come quick enough. He knows, and I know, that his
coming will do no good. Of course I shall be glad to see him.
Why shouldn't I be glad to see him? I've known him and liked
him all my life. I liked him when there did not seem to be much
about him to like, and now that he is clever, and agreeable, and
good-looking,--which he never was as a lad,--why shouldn't I go on
liking him? He's more like a brother to me than anybody else I've
got. James,"--James was her brother-in-law, Dr. Crofts,--"thinks of
nothing but his patients and his babies, and my cousin Bernard is
much too grand a person for me to take the liberty of loving him. I
shall be very glad to see Johnny Eames." From all which Mrs. Dale was
led to believe that Johnny's case was still hopeless. And how should
it not be hopeless? Had Lily not confessed within the last week or
two that she still loved Adolphus Crosbie?

Mrs. Eames also, and Mary, were surprised that John did not go over to
Allington. "You haven't seen Mrs. Dale yet, or the squire?" said his
mother.

"I shall see them when I am at the cottage."

"Yes;--no doubt. But it seems strange that you should be here so long
without going to them."

"There's time enough," said he. "I shall have nothing else to do
when I'm at the cottage." Then, when Mary had spoken to him again in
private, expressing a hope that there was "nothing wrong", he had
been very angry with his sister. "What do you mean by wrong? What
rubbish you girls talk! and you never have any delicacy of feeling
to make you silent."

"Oh, John, don't say such hard things as that of me!"

"But I do say them. You'll make me swear among you some day that I
will never see Lily Dale again. As it is, I wish I never had seen
her,--simply because I am so dunned about it." In all of which I
think that Johnny was manifestly wrong. When the humour was on him he
was fond enough of talking about Lily Dale. Had he not taught her to
do so, I doubt whether his sister would ever have mentioned Lily's
name to him. "I did not mean to dun you, John," said Mary, meekly.

But at last he went to Lady Julia's, and was no sooner there than he
was ready to start for Allington. When Lady Julia spoke to him about
Lily, he did not venture to snub her. Indeed, of all his friends,
Lady Julia was the one with whom on this subject he allowed himself
the most unrestricted confidence. He came o