for all of us, and the friendship among us all three became closer
day by day.

We met Mr. Egerton very often at the Rectory, and sometimes at other
houses where we visited. He was much liked by the Thornleigh people,
who had, most of them, known him in his boyhood; and it was
considered by his old friends, that, whatever his career abroad
might have been, he had begun, and was steadily pursuing, a reformed
course of life. His means did not enable him to do much, but he was
doing a little towards the improvement of Cumber Priory; and his
existence there was as simple as that of the Master of Ravenswood.

I had noticed that Mrs. Collingwood did all in her power to
encourage the friendship between Milly and Mr. Egerton, and one day
in the spring, after they had met a great many times at her house,
she spoke to me of her hopes quite openly.

It was a bright afternoon, and we were all strolling in the garden,
after a game of croquet--the Rector's wife and I side by side, Milly
and Angus a little way in front of us.

'I think she likes him,' Mrs. Collingwood said thoughtfully.

'Everybody seems to like Mr. Egerton,' I answered.

'O yes, I know that; but I mean something more than the ordinary
liking. I am so anxious that he should marry--and marry wisely. I
think I am almost as fond of him as if he were my son; and I should
be so pleased if I could be the means of bringing about a match
between them. Milly is just the girl to make a man happy, and her