sufficient service to deserve these wages, she never interfered with
them, nor, indeed, wasted a moment's consideration upon them or their
concerns.

Consequently they were in the somewhat rare and peculiar position of
a young man and young woman (perhaps Mrs. Dalziel would have taken
exception to the words "young lady and young gentleman") thrown together
day after day, week after week--nay, it had now become month after
month--to all intents and purposes quite alone, except for the children.
They taught together, there being but one school-room; walked out
together, for the two younger boys refused to be separated from their
older brothers; and, in short, spent two-thirds of their existence
together, without let or hindrance, comment or observation, from any
mortal soul.

I do not wish to make any mystery in this story. A young woman of
twenty-five and a young man of thirty, both perfectly alone in the
world--orphans, without brother or sister--having to earn their own
bread, and earn it hardly, and being placed in circumstances where they
had every opportunity of intimate friendship, sympathy, whatever you like
to call it: who could doubt what would happen? The more so, as there was
no one to suggest that it might happen; no one to watch them or warn
them, or waken them with worldly-minded hints; or else to rise up, after
the fashion of so many wise parents and guardians and well-intentioned
friends, and indignantly shut the stable door _after_ the steed is
stolen.

No. That something which was so sure to happen had happened; you might
have seen it in their eyes, have heard it in the very tone of their
voices, though they still talked in a very commonplace way, and still