ord more
of any peculiar note; and when Crosbie suggested to his friend on the
following morning that they should both step down and see how the
preparations were getting on at the Small House, Bernard declined.

"You forget, my dear fellow, that I'm not in love as you are," said
he.

"But I thought you were," said Crosbie.

"No; not at all as you are. You are an accepted lover, and will be
allowed to do anything,--whip the creams, and tune the piano, if you
know how. I'm only a half sort of lover, meditating a _mariage de
convenance_ to oblige an uncle, and by no means required by the
terms of my agreement to undergo a very rigid amount of drill. Your
position is just the reverse." In saying all which Captain Dale was
no doubt very false; but if falseness can be forgiven to a man in any
position, it may be forgiven in that which he then filled. So Crosbie
went down to the Small House alone.

"Dale wouldn't come," said he, speaking to the three ladies together,
"I suppose he's keeping himself up for the dance on the lawn."

"I hope he will be here in the evening," said Mrs Dale. But Bell
said never a word. She had determined, that under the existing
circumstances, it would be only fair to her cousin that his offer
and her answer to it should be kept secret. She knew why Bernard
did not come across from the Great House with his friend, but she
said nothing of her knowledge. Lily looked at her, but looked
without speaking; and as for Mrs Dale, she took no notice of the
circumstance. Thus they passed the afternoon together without further
mention of Bernard Dale; and it may be said, at any rate of Lily and
Crosbie, that his presence was not missed.

Mrs Eames, with her son and daughter, were the first to come. "It is
so nice of you to come early," said Lily, trying on the spur of the
moment to say something which should sound pleasant and happy, but in
truth using that form of welcome which to my ears sounds always the
most ungracious. "Ten minutes before the time named; and, of course,
you must have understood that I meant thirty minutes after it!" That
is my interpretation of the words when I am thanked for coming early.
But Mrs Eames was a kind, patient, unexacting woman, who took all
civil words as meaning civility. And, indeed, Lily had meant nothing
else.

"Yes; we did come early," said Mrs Eames, "because Mary thought she
would like to go up into the girls' room and just settle her hair,
you know."

"So