art, when, after an interval of ten minutes, they two
followed Rachel into the house. Rachel then had her hat on, and was
about to go over the green to the farmer's house. "Mamma, I'll just
run over to Mrs. Sturt's for some cream," said she.

"Mayn't I go with you?" said Rowan.

"Certainly not," said Rachel. "You'd frighten Mrs. Sturt out of all
her composure, and we should never get the cream." Then Rachel went
off, and Rowan was again left with her mother.

He had seated himself at her request in an arm-chair, and there for a
minute or two he sat silent. Mrs. Ray was busy with the tea-things,
but she suddenly felt that she was oppressed by the stranger's
presence. While Rachel had been there, and even when they had been
walking among the flower-beds, she had been quite comfortable; but
now the knowledge that he was there, in the room with her, as he sat
silent in the chair, was becoming alarming. Had she been right to ask
him to stay for tea? He looked and spoke like a sheep; but then, was
it not known to all the world that wolves dressed themselves often in
that guise, so that they might carry out their wicked purposes? Had
she not been imprudent? And then there was the immediate trouble of
his silence. What was she to say to him to break it? That trouble,
however, was soon brought to an end by Rowan himself. "Mrs. Ray,"
said he, "I think your daughter is the nicest girl I ever saw in my
life."

Mrs. Ray instantly put down the tea-caddy which she had in her hand,
and started, with a slight gasp in her throat, as though cold water
had been thrown over her. At the instant she said nothing. What was
she to say in answer to so violent a proposition?

"Upon my word I do," said Luke, who was too closely engaged with his
own thoughts and his own feelings to pay much immediate attention
to Mrs. Ray. "It isn't only that she's good-looking, but there's
something,--I don't know what it is,--but she's just the sort of
person I like. I told her I should come to-day, and I have come on
purpose to say this to you. I hope you won't be angry with me."

"Pray, sir, don't say anything to her to turn her head."

"If I understand her, Mrs. Ray, it wouldn't be very easy to turn her
head. But suppose she has turned mine?"

"Ah, no. Young gentlemen like you are in no danger of that sort of
thing. But for a poor girl--"

"I don't think you quite understand me, Mrs. Ray. I didn't mean
anything about danger. My danger would be that