el, I would not take you for fifty pounds, nor could I
go myself without leaving you as vice deputy curate."

"No need for that," said Mr. Clare, from the seat behind; "young people
must not talk secrets with a blind man's ears behind them."

"I make no secret," said Alick. "I could not go without leaving my wife
to take care of my uncle, or my uncle to take care of my wife."

"And you think you ought to go?" said Mr. Clare. "It is certainly better
that Bessie should have a gentleman with her in the crowd; but you
know this is a gossiping neighbourhood, and you must be prepared for
amazement at your coming into public alone not three weeks after your
wedding."

"I can't help it, she can't go, and I must."

"And you will bring down all the morning visitors that you talk of
dreading."

"We will leave you to amuse them, sir. Much better that," he added
between his teeth, "than to leave the very semblance of a secret trusted
by her to that intolerable puppy--"

Rachel said no more, but when she was gone upstairs Mr. Clare detained
his nephew to say, "I beg your pardon, Alick, but you should be quite
sure that your wife likes this proposal."

"That's the value of a strong-minded wife, sir," returned Alick; "she is
not given to making a fuss about small matters."

"Most ladies might not think this a small matter."

"That is because they have no perspective in their brains. Rachel
understands me a great deal too well to make me explain what is better
unspoken."

"You know what I think, Alick, that you are the strictest judge that
ever a merry girl had."

"I had rather you continued to think so, uncle; I should like to think
so myself. Good night."

Alick was right, but whether or not Rachel entered into his motives,
she made no objection to his going to the bazaar with his sister, being
absolutely certain that he would not have done so if he could have
helped it.

Nor was her day at all dreary; Mr. Clare was most kind and attentive to
her, without being oppressive, and she knew she was useful to him. She
was indeed so full of admiration and reverence for him, that once
or twice it crossed her whether she were not belying another of her
principles by lapsing into Curatocult, but the idea passed away with
scorn at the notion of comparing Mr. Clare with the objects of such
devotion. He belonged to that generation which gave its choicest in
intellectual, as well as in religious gifts to the ministry, when a
fres