What do you say to our having Miss Linders here for a time? I
have often thought of asking her, and this will be a good
opportunity. Do you object?"

"Not in the least, my dear; she is some sort of a cousin of
yours; is she not?"

"A remote one," said Mrs. Vavasour, smiling. "However, I am
very willing to make her acquaintance, especially if the poor
girl wants a change. I agree with Horace, that a too prolonged
course of Aunt Barbara must be trying."

"Why, I thought Mrs. Treherne was everything that was perfect
and admirable; she has never troubled us much with her
society, but I am sure I understood from you----"

"So she is," said his wife, interrupting him; "that is just
it--Aunt Barbara is quite perfect, a kind of ideal gentlewoman
in cultivation, and refinement, and piety, and everything
else; but she is, without exception, the most alarming person
I know."

"Well, let Miss Linders come by all means," repeated the
Doctor. "Isn't it nearly dinner-time? I am starving. I have
been twenty miles round the country to-day, and when I come in
I find that long-legged fellow Morris philandering away, and
have to listen to his vacuous nonsense for an hour. Whatever
brings him here so often? He ought to have something better to
do with his time than to be idling it away over afternoon tea.
Is he looking after Madge?"

"Poor little Madge!" answered Mrs. Vavasour, laughing. "No, I
wish I could think Mr. Morris had nothing more serious on
hand: but it is much more likely to be Maria."

"Maria!" cried the doctor; "is that what the man is up to? But
surely he knows she is engaged to Horace."

"Indeed I much doubt it," Mrs. Vavasour answered; "the
engagement was to be a secret, and I am not aware that any one
knows of it but ourselves, and Aunt Barbara--and Miss Linders
probably--and if Maria will not enlighten Mr. Morris as to how
matters stand, I do not see what any one else can do."

"Then Molly is very much to blame; and I have a great mind to
tell her so."

"I think you had better let things take their own course,"
said Mrs. Vavasour. "Maria is quite old enough to know what
she is about, and Horace will be down here in a few days to
look after his own interests."

"Well, but--bless my soul!" cried the doctor, "I can't make it
out at all. Do you mean that Maria is allowing this fellow
Morris's attention? I thought she and Graham were devoted to
each other, and had been for the last five years?"

"I think th