with hair, until she reflected that he had an unmarried sister of whom he spoke with much affection as his father’s companion and comforter.  Besides, Mr. Tryan had never paid any distant visit, except one for a few days to his father, and no hint escaped him of his intending to take a house, or change his mode of living.  No! he could not be engaged, though he might have been disappointed.  But this latter misfortune is one from which a devoted clergyman has been known to recover, by the aid of a fine pair of grey eyes that beam on him with affectionate reverence.  Before Christmas, however, her cogitations began to take another turn.  She heard her father say very confidently that ’Tryan was consumptive, and if he didn’t take more care of himself, his life would not be worth a year’s purchase;’ and shame at having speculated on suppositions that were likely to prove so false, sent poor Miss Eliza’s feelings with all the stronger impetus into the one channel of sorrowful alarm at the prospect of losing the pastor who had opened to her a new life of piety and self-subjection.  It is a sad weakness in us, after all, that the thought of a man’s death hallows him anew to us; as if life were not sacred too—­as if it were comparatively a light thing to fail in love and reverence to the brother who has to climb the whole toilsome steep with us, and all our tears and tenderness were due to the one who is spared that hard journey.

The Miss Linnets, too, were beginning to take a new view of the future, entirely uncoloured by jealousy of Miss Eliza Pratt.

‘Did you notice,’ said Mary, one afternoon when Mrs. Pettifer was taking tea with them—­’did you notice that short dry cough of Mr. Tryan’s yesterday?  I think he looks worse and worse every week, and I only wish I knew his sister; I would write to her about him.  I’m sure something should be done to make him give up part of his work, and he will listen to no one here.’

‘Ah,’ said Mrs. Pettifer, ’it’s a thousand pities his father and sister can’t come and live with him, if he isn’t to marry.  But I wish with all my heart he could have taken to some nice woman as would have made a comfortable home for him.  I used to think he might take to Eliza Pratt; she’s a good girl, and very pretty; but I see no likelihood of it now.’

‘No, indeed.’ said Rebecca, with some emphasis:  ’Mr. Tryan’s heart is not for any woman to win; it is all given to his work; and I could never wish to see him with a young inexperienced wife who would be a drag on him instead of a help-mate.’

‘He’d need have somebody, young or old,’ observed Mrs. Linnet, ’to see as he wears a flannel wescoat, an’ changes his stockins when he comes in.  It’s my opinion he’s got that cough wi’ sittin i’ wet shoes and stockins; an’ that Mrs. Wagstaff’s a poor addle-headed thing; she doesn’t half tek care on him.’

‘O mother!’ said Rebecca, ’she’s a very pious woman.  And I’m sure she thinks it too great a privilege to have Mr. Tryan with her, not to do the best she can to make him comfortable.  She can’t help her rooms being shabby.’