luent, cheerful, agreeable talker.
Caroline could talk too in a _tete-a-tete_. She liked Mr. Hall to come
and take the seat next her in a party, and thus secure her from Peter
Augustus Malone, Joseph Donne, or John Sykes; and Mr. Hall never failed
to avail himself of this privilege when he possibly could. Such
preference shown by a single gentleman to a single lady would certainly,
in ordinary cases, have set in motion the tongues of the gossips; but
Cyril Hall was forty-five years old, slightly bald, and slightly gray,
and nobody ever said or thought he was likely to be married to Miss
Helstone. Nor did he think so himself. He was wedded already to his
books and his parish. His kind sister Margaret, spectacled and learned
like himself, made him happy in his single state; he considered it too
late to change. Besides, he had known Caroline as a pretty little girl.
She had sat on his knee many a time; he had bought her toys and given
her books; he felt that her friendship for him was mixed with a sort of
filial respect; he could not have brought himself to attempt to give
another colour to her sentiments, and his serene mind could glass a fair
image without feeling its depths troubled by the reflection.

When Miss Ainley arrived, she was made kindly welcome by every one. Mrs.
Pryor and Margaret Hall made room for her on the sofa between them; and
when the three were seated, they formed a trio which the gay and
thoughtless would have scorned, indeed, as quite worthless and
unattractive--a middle-aged widow and two plain, spectacled old
maids--yet which had its own quiet value, as many a suffering and
friendless human being knew.

Shirley opened the business and showed the plan.

"I know the hand which drew up that," said Mr. Hall, glancing at Miss
Ainley, and smiling benignantly. His approbation was won at once.
Boultby heard and deliberated with bent brow and protruded under lip.
His consent he considered too weighty to be given in a hurry. Helstone
glanced sharply round with an alert, suspicious expression, as if he
apprehended that female craft was at work, and that something in
petticoats was somehow trying underhand to acquire too much influence,
and make itself of too much importance. Shirley caught and comprehended
the expression. "This scheme is nothing," said she carelessly. "It is
only an outline--a mere suggestion. You, gentlemen, are requested to
draw up rules of your own."

And she directly fetched her wri