own style of living was of necessity very unassuming; but she saw
her girls becoming popular in the county, much liked by the families
around them, and enjoying nearly all the advantages which would
have accrued to them had they been the daughters of Squire Dale of
Allington. Under such circumstances it was little to her whether or
no she were loved by her brother-in-law, or respected by Hopkins. Her
own girls loved her, and respected her, and that was pretty much all
that she demanded of the world on her own behalf.

And Uncle Christopher had been very good to the girls in his own
obstinate and somewhat ungracious manner. There were two ponies in
the stables of the Great House, which they were allowed to ride, and
which, unless on occasions, nobody else did ride. I think he might
have given the ponies to the girls, but he thought differently. And
he contributed to their dresses, sending them home now and again
things which he thought necessary, not in the pleasantest way in the
world. Money he never gave them, nor did he make them any promises.
But they were Dales, and he loved them; and with Christopher Dale to
love once was to love always. Bell was his chief favourite, sharing
with his nephew Bernard the best warmth of his heart. About these
two he had his projects, intending that Bell should be the future
mistress of the Great House of Allington; as to which project,
however, Miss Dale was as yet in very absolute ignorance.

We may now, I think, go back to our four friends, as they walked out
upon the lawn. They were understood to be on a mission to assist Mrs
Dale in the picking of the peas; but pleasure intervened in the way
of business, and the young people, forgetting the labours of their
elder, allowed themselves to be carried away by the fascinations of
croquet. The iron hoops and the sticks were fixed. The mallets and