and he could recommend to her consideration the example of that most charming heroine, Miss Sophia Western, who had a great `respect for the understandings of men.' Maggie could look at Stephen - which for some reason or other, she always avoided when they were alone, and he could even ask her to play his accompaniment for him, since Lucy's fingers were so busy with that bazaar-work; and lecture her on hurrying the tempo, which was certainly Maggie's weak point.

One day - it was the day of Philip's return - Lucy had formed a sudden engagement to spend the evening with Mrs Kenn, whose delicate state of health, threatening to become confirmed illness through an attack of bronchitis, obliged her to resign her functions at the coming bazaar into the hands of other ladies, of whom she wished Lucy to be one. The engagement had been formed in Stephen's presence, and he had heard Lucy promise to rise early and call at six o'clock for Miss Torry, who brought Mrs Kenn's request.

`Here is another of the moral results of this idiotic bazaar,' Stephen burst forth, as soon as Miss Torry had left the room - `taking young ladies from the duties of the domestic hearth into scenes of dissipation among urn-rugs and embroidered reticules! I should like to know what is the proper function of women if it is not to make reasons for husbands to stay at home and still stronger reasons for bachelors to go out. If this goes on much longer the bounds of society will be dissolved.'

`Well, it will not go on much longer,' said Lucy, laughing, `for the bazaar is to take place on Monday week.'

`Thank heaven!' said Stephen. `Kenn himself said the other day, that he didn't like this plan of making vanity do the work of charity; but just as the British public is not reasonable enough to bear direct taxation, so St Ogg's has not got force of motive enough to build and endow schools without calling in the force of folly.'

`Did he say so?' said little Lucy, her hazel eyes opening wide with anxiety. `I never heard him say anything of that kind - I thought he approved of what we were doing.'

`I'm sure he appoves you,' said Stephen, smiling at her affectionately; `your conduct in going out to-night looks vicious, I own, but I know there is benevolence at the bottom of it.'

`O, you think too well of me,' said Lucy, shaking her head, with a pretty blush. And there the subject ended. But it was tacitly understood that Stephen would not come in the evening, and on the strength of that tacit understanding he made his morning visit the longer, not saying good-by until after four.

Maggie was seated in the drawing-room alone, shortly after dinner, with Minny on her lap, having left her uncle to his wine and his nap, and her mother to the compromise between knitting and nodding which, when there was no company, she always carried on in the dining-room till tea-time. Maggie was stooping to caress the tiny silken pet, and comforting him for his mistress's absence, when the sound of a footstep on the gravel made her look up and she saw Mr Stephen Guest walking up the garden as if he had come straight from the river. It was very unusual to see him so soon after dinner! He often complained that their dinner-hour was late at Park House. Nevertheless, there he was, in his black dress: he had evidently been home, and must have come again by the river. Maggie felt her cheeks glowing and her heart beating: it was natural she should be so nervous, for she was not accustomed to receive visitors alone. He had seen her look up through the open window, and raised his hat as he walked towards it, to enter that way instead of by the door. He blushed too, and certainly looked as foolish as a young man of some wit and self-possession can be expected to look, as he walked in with a roll of music in his hand, and said with an air of hesitating improvisation,

`You are surprised to see me again, Miss Tulliver - I ought to apologise for coming upon you by surprise, but I wanted to come into the town, and I got our man to row me, so I thought I would bring these things from the "Maid of Artois" for your cousin. I forgot them this morning. Will you give them to her?'