ould be such a friend to him as you can be, I would stand by
him, as you mean to stand by him, till death."

"And now, Lina, though your eyes don't flash, they glow. You drop your
lids; but I saw a kindled spark. However, it is not yet come to
fighting. What I want to do is to _prevent_ mischief. I cannot forget,
either day or night, that these embittered feelings of the poor against
the rich have been generated in suffering: they would neither hate nor
envy us if they did not deem us so much happier than themselves. To
allay this suffering, and thereby lessen this hate, let me, out of my
abundance, give abundantly; and that the donation may go farther, let it
be made wisely. To that intent, we must introduce some clear, calm,
practical sense into our councils. So go and fetch Miss Ainley."

Without another word Caroline put on her bonnet and departed. It may,
perhaps, appear strange that neither she nor Shirley thought of
consulting Mrs. Pryor on their scheme; but they were wise in abstaining.
To have consulted her--and this they knew by instinct--would only have
been to involve her in painful embarrassment. She was far better
informed, better read, a deeper thinker than Miss Ainley, but of
administrative energy, of executive activity, she had none. She would
subscribe her own modest mite to a charitable object willingly--secret
almsgiving suited her; but in public plans, on a large scale, she could
take no part; as to originating them, that was out of the question. This
Shirley knew, and therefore she did not trouble Mrs. Pryor by unavailing
conferences, which could only remind her of her own deficiencies, and do
no good.

It was a bright day for Miss Ainley when she was summoned to Fieldhead
to deliberate on projects so congenial to her; when she was seated with
all honour and deference at a table with paper, pen, ink, and--what was
best of all--cash before her, and requested to draw up a regular plan
for administering relief to the destitute poor of Briarfield. She, who
knew them all, had studied their wants, had again and again felt in what
way they might best be succoured, could the means of succour only be
found, was fully competent to the undertaking, and a meek exultation
gladdened her kind heart as she felt herself able to answer clearly and
promptly the eager questions put by the two young girls, as she showed
them in her answers how much and what serviceable knowledge she had
acquired of the condition of h