o was engaged for seven years," said Mrs. Tappitt,
"and she wore herself to a thread-paper,--so she did. And then he
married his housekeeper after all."

"I'd sooner see my girl make up her mind to be an old maid than let
her have a long engagement," said Mrs. Rowan.

"And so would I, my girls, all three. If anybody comes, I say to
them, 'Let your papa see them. He'll know what's the meaning of it.'
It don't do for young girls to manage those things all themselves.
Not but what I think my girls have almost as much wit about them as I
have. I won't mention any names, but there's a young man about here
as well-to-do as any young man in the South Hams, but Cherry won't as
much as look at him." Mrs. Rowan again tossed her head. She felt her
misfortune in being burthened with such a colleague as Mrs. Tappitt.

"What is it you want me to do, Mrs. Rowan?" asked Mrs. Ray.

"I want you and your daughter, who I am sure is a very nice young
lady, and good-looking too,--"

"Oh, quite so," said Mrs. Tappitt.

"I want you both to understand that this little thing should be
allowed to drop. If my boy has done anything foolish I'm here to
apologize for him. He isn't the first that has been foolish, and
I'm afraid he won't be the last. But it can't be believed, Mrs. Ray,
that marriages should be run up in this thoughtless sort of way. In
the first place the young people don't know anything of each other;
absolutely nothing at all. And then,--but I'm sure I don't want to
insist on any differences that there may be in their positions in
life. Only you must be aware of this, Mrs. Ray, that such a marriage
as that would be very injurious to a young man like my son Luke."

"My child wouldn't wish to injure anybody."

"And therefore, of course, she won't think any more about it. All I
want from you is that you should promise me that."

"If Rachel will only just say that," said Mrs. Tappitt, "my daughters
will be as happy to see her out walking with them as ever."

"Rachel has had quite enough of such walking, Mrs. Tappitt; quite
enough."

"If harm has come of it, it hasn't been the fault of my girls," said
Mrs. Tappitt.

Then there was a pause among the three ladies, and it appeared that
Mrs. Rowan was waiting for Mrs. Ray's answer. But Mrs. Ray did not
know what answer she should make. She was already disposed to regard
the coming of Luke Rowan to Baslehurst as a curse rather than a
blessing. She felt all but convinced that Fa