t that he intended
something beyond the tenderness of ordinary cousinly affection.

"I hope we shall never quarrel," she said. But as she spoke, her
mind was settling itself,--forming its resolution, and coming to
a conclusion as to the sort of love which Bernard might, perhaps,
expect. And it formed another conclusion; as to the sort of love
which might be given in return.

"Bell," he said, "you and I have always been dear friends."

"Yes; always."

"Why should we not be something more than friends?"

To give Captain Dale his due I must declare that his voice was
perfectly natural as he asked this question, and that he showed no
signs of nervousness, either in his face or limbs. He had made up his
mind to do it on that occasion, and he did it without any signs of
outward disturbance. He asked his question, and then he waited for
his answer. In this he was rather hard upon his cousin; for, though
the question had certainly been asked in language that could not be
mistaken, still the matter had not been put forward with all that
fullness which a young lady, under such circumstances, has a right to
expect.

They had sat down on the turf close to the ha-ha, and they were so
near that Bernard was able to put out his hand with the view of
taking that of his cousin within his own. But she contrived to keep
her hands locked together, so that he merely held her gently by the
wrist.

"I don't quite understand, Bernard," she said, after a minute's
pause.

"Shall we be more than cousins? Shall we be man and wife?"

Now, at least, she could not say that she did not understand. If the
question was ever asked plainly, Bernard Dale had asked it plainly.
Shall we be man and wife? Few men, I fancy, dare to put it all at
once in so abrupt a way, and yet I do not know that the English
language affords any better terms for the question.

"Oh, Bernard! you have surprised me."

"I hope I have not pained you, Bell. I have been long thinking of
this, but I am well aware that my own manner, even to you, has not
been that of a lover. It is not in me to smile and say soft things,
as Crosbie can. But I do not love you the less on that account. I
have looked about for a wife, and I have thought that if I could gain
you I should be very fortunate."

He did not then say anything about his uncle, and the eight hundred a
year; but he fully intended to do so as soon as an opportunity should
serve. He was quite of opinion that eight hund