"And yet I was thinking in church this evening, that a man's life might
be happier in such a place as this, drifting away in a kind of dreamy
idleness, than the greatest successes possible to commerce could ever
make it."

"You would very soon be tired of your dreamy idleness," answered his
sister, "and sigh for your office and your club."

"The country suits old people, who have played their part in life, and
made an end of it," said the Captain. "It suits my little girl here very
well, too," he added, with a fond glance at his companion; "she has her
birds and her flowers, and her books and music; and I don't think she
ever sighs for anything gayer than Lidford."

"Never, uncle George," said the girl, slipping her hand through his arm.
And Gilbert Fenton saw that those two were very fond of each other.

They came to the end of a shady winding lane at this moment, and Captain
Sedgewick and Miss Nowell wished Mrs. Lister and her brother
good-evening, and went away down the lane arm-in-arm.

"What a lovely girl she is!" said Gilbert, when they were gone.

"Lovely is rather a strong word, Gilbert," Mrs. Lister answered coldly;
"she is certainly pretty, but I hope you are not going to lose your heart
in that direction."

"There is no fear of that. A man may admire a girl's face without being
in any danger of losing his heart. But why not in that direction, Belle?
Is there any special objection to the lady?"