hat
preference--never swerve thence. The other, my dear, if he had been
living now, would probably have furnished little support to his
daughter. It is, however, a graceful head--taken in youth, I should
think. My dear" (turning abruptly), "you acknowledge an inestimable
value in principle?"

"I am sure no character can have true worth without it."

"You feel what you say? You have considered the subject?"

"Often. Circumstances early forced it upon my attention."

"The lesson was not lost, then, though it came so prematurely. I suppose
the soil is not light nor stony, otherwise seed falling in that season
never would have borne fruit. My dear, do not stand in the air of the
door; you will take cold. Good-afternoon."

Miss Helstone's new acquaintance soon became of value to her: their
society was acknowledged a privilege. She found she would have been in
error indeed to have let slip this chance of relief, to have neglected
to avail herself of this happy change. A turn was thereby given to her
thoughts; a new channel was opened for them, which, diverting a few of
them at least from the one direction in which all had hitherto tended,
abated the impetuosity of their rush, and lessened the force of their
pressure on one worn-down point.

Soon she was content to spend whole days at Fieldhead, doing by turns
whatever Shirley or Mrs. Pryor wished her to do; and now one would claim
her, now the other. Nothing could be less demonstrative than the
friendship of the elder lady, but also nothing could be more vigilant,
assiduous, untiring. I have intimated that she was a peculiar personage,
and in nothing was her peculiarity more shown than in the nature of the
interest she evinced for Caroline. She watched all her movements; she
seemed as if she would have guarded all her steps. It gave her pleasure
to be applied to by Miss Helstone for advice and assistance. She yielded
her aid, when asked, with such quiet yet obvious enjoyment that Caroline
ere long took delight in depending on her.

Shirley Keeldar's complete docility with Mrs. Pryor had at first
surprised Miss Helstone, and not less the fact of the reserved
ex-governess being so much at home and at ease in the residence of her
young pupil, where she filled with such quiet independency a very
dependent post; but she soon found that it needed but to know both
ladies to comprehend fully the enigma. Every one, it seemed to her, must
like, must love, must prize Mrs. Pryor