returning to the displaced idea, "we are likely to remain friendly wi'
Mr. Shiner if the wheels d'run smooth."

"An excellent thing--a very capital thing, as I should say," the youth
answered with exceeding relevance, considering that his thoughts, instead
of following Geoffrey's remark, were nestling at a distance of about two
feet on his left the whole time.

"A young woman's face will turn the north wind, Master Richard: my heart
if 'twon't." Dick looked more anxious and was attentive in earnest at
these words. "Yes; turn the north wind," added Geoffrey after an
impressive pause. "And though she's one of my own flesh and blood . . .
"

"Will you fetch down a bit of raw-mil' cheese from pantry-shelf?" Fancy
interrupted, as if she were famishing.

"Ay, that I will, chiel; chiel, says I, and Mr. Shiner only asking last
Saturday night . . . cheese you said, Fancy?"

Dick controlled his emotion at these mysterious allusions to Mr.
Shiner,--the better enabled to do so by perceiving that Fancy's heart
went not with her father's--and spoke like a stranger to the affairs of
the neighbourhood. "Yes, there's a great deal to be said upon the power
of maiden faces in settling your courses," he ventured, as the keeper
retreated for the cheese.

"The conversation is taking a very strange turn: nothing that I have ever
done warrants such things being said!" murmured Fancy with emphasis, just
loud enough to reach Dick's ears.