nks of him, but she still evades returning
a direct answer. I hope you will be less oracular, Mr. Helstone, and
pronounce at once. Do you like him?"

"Not at all, just now. His name is entirely blotted from my good books."

"What is the matter? What has he done?"

"My uncle and he disagree on politics," interposed the low voice of
Caroline. She had better not have spoken just then. Having scarcely
joined in the conversation before, it was not apropos to do it now. She
felt this with nervous acuteness as soon as she had spoken, and coloured
to the eyes.

"What are Moore's politics?" inquired Shirley.

"Those of a tradesman," returned the rector--"narrow, selfish, and
unpatriotic. The man is eternally writing and speaking against the
continuance of the war. I have no patience with him."

"The war hurts his trade. I remember he remarked that only yesterday.
But what other objection have you to him?"

"That is enough."

"He looks the gentleman, in my sense of the term," pursued Shirley, "and
it pleases me to think he is such."

Caroline rent the Tyrian petals of the one brilliant flower in her
bouquet, and answered in distinct tones, "Decidedly he is." Shirley,
hearing this courageous affirmation, flashed an arch, searching glance
at the speaker from her deep, expressive eyes.

"_You_ are his friend, at any rate," she said. "You defend him in his
absence."

"I am both his friend and his relative," was the prompt reply. "Robert
Moore is my cousin."

"Oh, then, you can tell me all about him. Just give me a sketch of his
character."

Insuperable embarrassment seized Caroline when this demand was made. She
could not, and did not, attempt to comply with it. Her silence was
immediately covered by Mrs. Pryor, who proceeded to address sundry
questions to Mr. Helstone regarding a family or two in the
neighbourhood, with whose connections in the south she said she was
acquainted. Shirley soon withdrew her gaze from Miss Helstone's face.
She did not renew her interrogations, but returning to her flowers,
proceeded to choose a nosegay for the rector. She presented it to him as
he took leave, and received the homage of a salute on the hand in
return.

"Be sure you wear it for my sake," said she.

"Next my heart, of course," responded Helstone.--"Mrs. Pryor, take care
of this future magistrate, this churchwarden in perspective, this
captain of yeomanry, this young squire of Briarfield, in a word. Don't
let him exert