w he stared about at Church! He
ought to be ashamed of himself."

"Oh! that's what Grace says, of course," said Florence; "and she's a
regular old maid. She needn't fear that he'll stare at her."

Wherewith both Florence and Amy giggled, and before Jessie's hot answer
was out of her mouth, one of the aunts called out--

"Girls, girls, what are you doing? No gossiping there."

Florence came out looking cross, and observing in a marked manner that
Miss Fuller, at Ellerby, always spoke of her young ladies.

"I like using right names," said Aunt Rose in her decided voice.

Florence was silenced for the time, but at the dinner hour she contrived
to get Amy alone. Jessie was in haste to get home to see if there were
an answer from Miss Needwood, and also to try to get enough sewing done
to pacify Grace, and purchase a little leisure for her mother. And
Florence, instead of going home, stood with Amy, who had sauntered into
the garden to refresh herself and gather some parsley.

"I assure you, Amy, he was quite struck. He said yours was such a style
that he would hardly believe me when I said you belonged to Mr. Lee, the
baker. It was the refinement, he said."

"Nonsense, Florence; don't," said Amy, blushing as crimson as the rose
she tried to gather.

"I'm not talking nonsense; I never did see a poor man so smitten."

"Now, Florence, you shouldn't say such things; father and aunts would
not like it. I shall go in."

"Fathers and aunts are all alike; they never do like such things.
But----"

However, Amy was safe indoors by this time, all in a glow, very much
ashamed that such things should have been said to her, and yet not a
little fluttered and pleased. She had been most carefully brought up
and watched over, and she had come to the age of sixteen without hearing
more about herself than that a young lady, who once came into the school
with Miss Agnes Manners, said something that sounded like lovely, and
was speedily hushed up and silenced.

All the other girls thought the young lady meant Henrietta Coles, who
was tall, with bright dark eyes, red cheeks, and black hair, under a
round comb; but Amy had always been sure that the speaker's eyes were
upon her, though she had been ashamed of the belief, and indeed had
nearly forgotten all about it, till it was stirred up by Florence's
talk.

She went up to her room to smooth her hair before dinner. Yes, it was
very nice light-brown hair, with a golden shine; and