r anything but this; I never could be happier, dear
father!' and so leave him, with a blessing on her lips.

The golden water she remembered on the wall, appeared to Florence, in
the light of such reflections, only as a current flowing on to rest,
and to a region where the dear ones, gone before, were waiting, hand in
hand; and often when she looked upon the darker river rippling at her
feet, she thought with awful wonder, but not terror, of that river which
her brother had so often said was bearing him away.

The father and his sick daughter were yet fresh in Florence's mind, and,
indeed, that incident was not a week old, when Sir Barnet and his lady
going out walking in the lanes one afternoon, proposed to her to bear
them company. Florence readily consenting, Lady Skettles ordered out
young Barnet as a matter of course. For nothing delighted Lady Skettles
so much, as beholding her eldest son with Florence on his arm.

Barnet, to say the truth, appeared to entertain an opposite sentiment on
the subject, and on such occasions frequently expressed himself audibly,
though indefinitely, in reference to 'a parcel of girls.' As it was not
easy to ruffle her sweet temper, however, Florence generally reconciled
the young gentleman to his fate after a few minutes, and they strolled
on amicably: Lady Skettles and Sir Barnet following, in a state of
perfect complacency and high gratification.

This was the order of procedure on the afternoon in question; and
Florence had almost succeeded in overruling the present objections
of Skettles Junior to his destiny, when a gentleman on horseback came
riding by, looked at them earnestly as he passed, drew in his rein,
wheeled round, and came riding back again, hat in hand.

The gentleman had looked particularly at Florence; and when the little
party stopped, on his riding back, he bowed to her, before saluting Sir
Barnet and his lady. Florence had no remembrance of having ever seen
him, but she started involuntarily when he came near her, and drew back.

'My horse is perfectly quiet, I assure you,' said the gentleman.

It was not that, but something in the gentleman himself--Florence could
not have said what--that made her recoil as if she had been stung.

'I have the honour to address Miss Dombey, I believe?' said the
gentleman, with a most persuasive smile. On Florence inclining her head,
he added, 'My name is Carker. I can hardly hope to be remembered by Miss
Dombey, except by