dear friend," said Miss Parnell, "far be it
from me to persuade you to stay. God orders all things for good. The
present moment is the prophet of the future. It must decide your fate."

"I have not acted hastily in this matter," returned Lyndsay. "I have
pondered over it long and anxiously, and I feel that my decision is
right. The grief poor Flora feels at parting with her friends, is the
greatest drawback. I thought that she possessed more strength of
endurance. As for me, I have passed through the ordeal before, when I
left Scotland for the Cape of Good Hope; and I now look upon myself as a
citizen of the world. I know that Flora will submit cheerfully to the
change, when once we lose sight of the British shores."

"This then means the cause of Flora's tears?"

"Not exactly," said Flora, laughing. "That odious Mrs. Ready has been
here, tormenting me with impertinent questions."

"Flora, I'm ashamed of you," said Lyndsay, "for suffering yourself to be
annoyed by that stupid woman."

"And worse than that, dear John, I got into a passion, and affronted
her."

"And what did _Mrs. Grundy_ say?"

"Ah! it's fine fun for you. But if you had been baited by her for a
couple of hours, as I was, you could not have stood it much better than
I did. Why, she had the impudence to insist upon my acting in direct
opposition to your wishes; and all but insinuated that I was a fool not
to take her advice."

"A very serious offence, indeed," said Lyndsay, laughing. "Instigating
my wife to an act of open rebellion. But I am sure you will not profit
by her example."

"Indeed, no! She's the very last woman in the world I should wish to
imitate. Still I feel angry with myself for letting my temper get the
better of prudence."

"What a pity, Flora, that you did not fight it out. I would back my good
wife against twenty Mrs. Grundys."

"She would scratch my eyes out, and then write a horrid sonnet to
celebrate the catastrophe."

"Nobody would read it."

"Ah, but she would read it to everybody, and bore the whole town with
her lamentations."

"Let her go, Flora. I am tired of _Mrs. Grundy_."

"Indeed, I was glad enough to get rid of her, which reconciles me to the
disagreeable manner in which I offended her."

"Let us talk of your Canadian plans," said Mary. "When do you go?"

"In three weeks," said Lyndsay.

"So soon! The time is too short to prepare one to part with friends so
dear. If it were not for my poor old fath