er mother remonstrated, but with a smile.

"The worst of it is, the ones on the look-out are not the ones with
the good looks," the doctor observed, also smiling.

"But they are the ones with the money," Beth rejoined. "I wonder how
it is that plain girls so often have money. I suppose the
money-grubbing spirit comes out in ugliness in the female branch."

Tea was brought in, but Beth refused to take any. The doctor tried to
persuade her.

"You had better change your mind," he said. "Ladies are privileged to
change their minds."

"I know," said Beth. "Ladies are privileged to be foolish. It is
almost the only privilege men allow them. I scorn it myself. At school
we were warned to be firm when once we had said 'No, thank you.' Miss
Ella used to say that people who allowed themselves to be
over-persuaded and changed their minds lost self-control and became
self-indulgent eventually."

"Ah, that makes me think of my poor dear mother," said the doctor. "A
better and more consistent woman never lived. Once she said a thing,
you couldn't move her. She was a good mother to me! I was always her
favourite son. But, like other young fellows, I'm afraid I didn't half
appreciate her till I had lost her."

"All the same, I am sure you were all that a good son should be," Mrs.
Caldwell observed sincerely.

The doctor's eyes shone with emotion.

When he had gone, Mrs. Caldwell began to discuss him.

"He really _is_ cheery," she said, "he always raises my spirits; and I
am sure he is good and kind. Did you see how his eyes filled with
tears when he mentioned his mother? He is handsome, too, don't you
think so? Such a colour! And always so well dressed. Lady Benyon
admires him very much. But he gets on with every one, even Uncle
James! What do you think of him, Beth?"

"I think he looks neat to the point of nattiness, which is finical in
a man," Beth answered.

"Ah, that is because you are not accustomed to well-dressed men," her
mother assured her. "Here in Rainharbour you don't often see one."

"I have been in London lately," Beth observed.

"Beth," her mother began emphatically, "that is so like you! Will you
never get out of the habit of answering so? You are always in
opposition, and it is too conceited of you at your age. I did hope
they would have cured you of the trick at school; but no sooner do you
get home, than you begin again as bad as ever."

"Well, rather than displease you, mamma, I'll do my best to h