y cheerful when I had finished
it.

It appears that the Cynic was travelling by the Midland express, and
they were companions all the way from Airlee. He was already in the
train, which starts from Broadbeck, and he caught sight of her on the
platform. It seems strange that he should have gone round that way,
for I remember he told us once that he always travelled by Great
Northern, as it is the shorter route.

I fancy he was rather taken with Rose, and I know she liked him very
much, for she said so quite openly. It would do the Cynic good to be
married, especially as he seems to need comforting, and Rose is one of
the dearest girls in existence, and would make him a good wife--at
least, I hope she would. And although she has to earn her own living,
she is really very well connected, and had a quite superior education.
It was simply her father's recklessness that threw her on her own
resources, and I should say that her origin is as good as the Cynic's.

And yet I should hardly have thought that she was just his sort. He is
a man who will make large demands upon his wife if she is to be a real
helpmeet, and he needs to be understood. I am sure Rose did not
understand him. But perhaps, after all, she would be very suitable in
one way. She is ambitious, and would see that he did not hide his
light under a bushel in social circles; though, to be sure, society
might turn up its nose at _her_. It would worry me terribly if
anything should come of this chance encounter under my chaperonage, and
either party should be unhappy. It may be undue sensitiveness on my
part, but I feel rather oppressed with a sense of responsibility.

Of course, looking at the matter quite calmly, it seems ridiculous to
be building air-castles like this, but I am _very fond_ of Rose and I
would not for worlds have her marry unsuitably; and I cannot help
respecting the Cynic after what he said the other night. It would be
just terrible if they were to make a mess of their lives. Marriage is
such a very serious undertaking, and lots of really sensible people
appear to lose their heads altogether when they come to make the
important choice. However, it is none of my business, and I won't
refer to it again.

Rose says he was very attentive to her during the journey, and handed
her quite a number of illustrated papers, including some ladies'
journals. If I were a barrister I should never dream of buying papers
which make their appeal