sixteen. He is the ungrown
gentleman."

"And who is the fourth adult?"

"Dr Crofts, from Guestwick. I do hope you will like him, Adolphus. We
think he is the very perfection of a man."

"Then of course I shall hate him; and be very jealous, too!"

And then that pair went off together, fighting their own little
battle on that head, as turtle-doves will sometimes do. They went
off, and Bernard was left with Bell standing together over the ha-ha
fence which divides the garden at the back of the house from the
field.

"Bell," he said, "they seem very happy, don't they?"

"And they ought to be happy now, oughtn't they? Dear Lily! I hope he
will be good to her. Do you know, Bernard, though he is your friend,
I am very, very anxious about it. It is such a vast trust to put in a
man when we do not quite know him."

"Yes, it is; but they'll do very well together. Lily will be happy
enough."

"And he?"

"I suppose he'll be happy, too. He'll feel himself a little
straightened as to income at first, but that will all come round."

"If he is not, she will be wretched."

"They will do very well. Lily must be prepared to make the money go
as far as she can, that's all."

"Lily won't feel the want of money. It is not that. But if he lets
her know that she has made him a poor man, then she will be unhappy.
Is he extravagant, Bernard?"

But Bernard was anxious to discuss another subject, and therefore
would not speak such words of wisdom as to Lily's engagement as might
have been expected from him had he been in a different frame of mind.

"No, I should say not," said he. "But, Bell--"

"I do not know that we could have acted otherwise than we have done,
and yet I fear that we have been rash. If he makes her unhappy,
Bernard, I shall never forgive you."

But as she said this she put her hand lovingly upon his arm, as a
cousin might do, and spoke in a tone which divested her threat of its
acerbity.

"You must not quarrel with me, Bell, whatever may happen. I cannot
afford to quarrel with you."

"Of course I was not in earnest as to that."

"You and I must never quarrel, Bell; at least, I hope not. I could
bear to quarrel with any one rather than with you." And then, as he
spoke, there was something in his voice which gave the girl some
slight, indistinct warning of what might be his intention. Not that
she said to herself at once, that he was going to make her an offer
of his hand,--now, on the spot; but she fel