," she said; "Mr. Eames
came here one night and told us why he was going. I was very glad
that he was going, because I thought it was right."

"You know, of course, how successful he has been? It was I who gave
the cheque to Mr. Crawley."

"So Mrs. Thorne has heard. Dr. Thorne has written to tell her the whole
story."

"And now I've come to look for Mr. Eames's reward."

"His reward, Mrs. Arabin?"

"Yes; or rather to plead for him. You will not, I hope, be angry with
him because he has told me much of his history while we were
travelling home together."

"Oh, no," said Lily, smiling. "How could he have chosen a better
friend in whom to trust?"

"He could certainly have chosen none who would take his part more
sincerely. He is so good and amiable! He is so pleasant in his ways,
and so fitted to make a woman happy! And then, Miss Dale, he is also
so devoted!"

"He is an old friend of ours, Mrs. Arabin."

"So he has told me."

"And we all of us love him dearly. Mamma is very much attached to
him."

"Unless he flatters himself, there is no one belonging to you who
would not wish that he should be nearer and dearer still."

"It may be so. I do not say that it is not so. Mamma and my uncle are
both fond of him."

"And does that not go a long way?" said Mrs. Arabin.

"It ought not to do so," said Lily. "It ought not to go any way at
all."

"Ought it not? It seems to me that I could never have brought myself
to marry any one whom my friends had not liked."

"Ah! that is another thing."

"But is it not a recommendation to a man that he has been so
successful with your friends as to make them all feel that you might
trust yourself to him with perfect safety?" To this Lily made no
answer, and Mrs. Arabin went on to plead her friend's cause with all
the eloquence she could use, insisting on all his virtues, his good
temper, his kindness, his constancy,--and not forgetting the fact
that the world was inclined to use him very well. Still Lily made no
answer. She had promised Mrs. Arabin that she would not regard her
interference as impertinent, and therefore she refrained from any
word that might seem to show offence. Nor did she feel offence. It
was something gained by John Eames in Lily's estimation that he
should have such a friend as Mrs. Arabin to take an interest in his
welfare. But there was a self-dependence, perhaps one may call it an
obstinacy about Lily Dale, which made her determined that she woul