interested in his talk. He did not stop long in the dining-room
after we had left, but joined us as we sat round the fire in the
drawing-room, talking over the poor people with Mrs. Collingwood and
her two daughters, who were great authorities upon the question, and
held a Dorcas society once a week, of which Milly and I were
members.

There was the usual music--a little playing and a little singing from
the younger ladies of the company, myself included. Milly sang an
English ballad very sweetly, and Angus Egerton stood by the piano
looking down at her while she sang.

Did he fall in love with her upon this first happy evening that
those two spent together? I cannot tell; but it is certain that
after that evening, he seemed to haunt us in our walks, and, go
where we would, we were always meeting him, in company with a
Scottish deerhound called Nestor, of which Milly became very fond.
When we met in this half-accidental way he used to join us in our
walk for a mile or two, very often bearing us company till we were
within a few paces of Thornleigh.

These meetings, utterly accidental as they always were on our side,
were a source of some perplexity to me. I was not quite certain
whether I was right in sanctioning so close an acquaintance between
Emily Darrell and the master of Cumber Priory. I knew that her
father thought badly of him. Yet, what could I do? I was not old
enough to pretend to any authority over my darling, nor had her
father invested me with any; and I knew that her noble nature was
worthy of all confidence. Beyond this, I liked Angus Egerton, and
was inclined to trust him. So the time slipped away very pleasantly