Mordant's, and had chosen her this dress. He had
never done such a thing before, even for Grace: so no wonder Mattie
was in the seventh heaven of delight.

"It is very pretty," observed Nan, critically: "your brother has good
taste." Which speech was of course retailed to Archie.

Mattie had only just left the cottage, when another customer appeared
in the person of Miss Middleton.

Nan, who had just begun her cutting-out, met her with a pleased glance
of recognition, and then, remembering her errand, bowed rather
gravely. But Miss Middleton, after a moment's hesitation, held out her
hand.

She had not been able to make up her mind about these girls. Her
father's shocked sense of decorum, and her own old-fashioned
gentlewoman's idea, had raised certain difficulties in her mind, which
she had found it hard to overcome. "Recollect, Elizabeth, I will not
have those girls brought here," the colonel had said to her that very
morning. "They may be all very well in their way, but I have changed
my opinion of them. There's poor Drummond: now mark my words, there
will be trouble by and by in that quarter." For Colonel Middleton had
groaned in spirit ever since the morning he had seen the young vicar
walking with Phillis down the Braidwood Road, when she was carrying
Mrs. Trimmings's dress. Elizabeth answered this gentle protest by one
of her gentle smiles. "Very well, dear father: I will ask no one to
Brooklyn against your wish, you may be sure of that; but I suppose
they may make my new dress? Mattie's has been such a success; they
certainly understand their business."

"You have a right to select your own dressmaker, Elizabeth," returned
the colonel, with a frigid wave of his hand, for he had not got over
his disappointment about the girls. "I only warn you because you are
very quixotic in your notions; but we must take the world as we find
it, and make the best of it; and there is your brother coming home by
and by. We must be careful, for Hammond's sake." And, as Elizabeth's
good sense owned the justice of her father's remark, there was nothing
more said on the subject.

But it was not without a feeling of embarrassment that Miss Middleton
entered the cottage: her great heart was yearning over these girls,
whom she was compelled to keep at a distance. True, her father was
right, Hammond was coming home, and a young officer of
seven-and-twenty was not to be trusted where three pretty girls were
concerned: it would nev