funny we old women are when we get
together. There wasn't a gentleman in the room--except Mr. Fuzzybell;
and he never seems to make any difference. But I tell you what, Sir
Lionel; a certain friend of yours didn't seem to like it when we
called Mrs. Shortpointz Lady Bertram."

"And were you that friend, Miss Todd?"

"I! Ha! ha! ha! No; not I, but Miss Baker. And I'll tell you what,
Sir Lionel," said Miss Todd, intending to do a kinder act for Miss
Baker than Miss Baker would have done for her. "And I'll tell you
what; Miss Baker is the nicest-looking woman of her time of life
in Littlebath. I don't care who the other is. I never saw her look
better than she did last night; never." This was good-natured on the
part of Miss Todd; but it sounded in Sir Lionel's ears as though it
did not augur well for his hopes.

"Yes; she's very nice; very nice indeed. But I know one, Miss Todd,
that's much nicer." And Sir Lionel drew his chair a little nearer.

"What, Mrs. Shortpointz, I suppose. Ha! ha! ha! Well, every man to
his taste."

"I wonder whether I may speak to you seriously, Miss Todd, for five
minutes?"

"Oh laws, yes; why not? But don't tell me any secrets, Sir Lionel;
for I shan't keep them."

"I hope what I may say need not be kept a secret long. You joke with
me about Miss Baker; but you cannot really believe that my affections
are placed there? You must, I think, have guessed by this time--"

"I am the worst hand in the world at guessing anything."

"I am not a young man, Miss Todd--"

"No; and she isn't a young woman. She's fifty. It would all be very
proper in that respect."

"I'm not thinking of Miss Baker, Miss Todd."

"Dear! well now, I really thought you were thinking of her. And I'll
tell you this, Sir Lionel; if you want a wife to look after you,
you couldn't do better than think of her--a nice, good-tempered,
cheerful, easy, good-looking woman; with none of the Littlebath
nastiness about her;--and a little money too, I've no doubt. How
could you do better than think of her?" Would it not have softened
Miss Baker's heart towards her friend if she could have heard all
this?

"Ah; you say this to try me. I know you do."

"Try you! no; but I want you to try Miss Baker."

"Well; I am going to make an attempt of that kind, certainly;
certainly I am. But it is not with Miss Baker, as I cannot but think
you know;" and then he paused to collect his ideas, and take in at
a _coup d'oeil_ the weak poi