’Perhaps not.  But for all that, take my word for it, he’s a great flirt, and young ladies had better not have much to do with him.’

‘I daresay it was all accident their meeting in Heath Lane.’ said Miss Phoebe.

‘I know nothing about it,’ said Molly, ’and I daresay I have been impertinent, only please don’t talk about it any more.  I have my reasons for asking you.’  She got up, for by the striking of the church clock she had just found out that it was later than she had thought, and she knew that her father would be at home by this time.  She bent down and kissed Miss Browning’s grave and passive face.

‘How you are growing, Molly!’ said Miss Phoebe, anxious to cover over her sister’s displeasure. ’"As tall and as straight as a poplar-tree!” as the old song says.’

‘Grow in grace, Molly, as well as in good looks!’ said Miss Browning, watching her out of the room.  As soon as she was fairly gone, Miss Browning got up and shut the door quite securely, and then sitting down near her sister, she said, in a low voice, ’Phoebe, it was Molly herself that was with Mr. Preston in Heath Lane that day when Mrs. Goodenough saw them together!’

‘Gracious goodness me!’ exclaimed Miss Phoebe, receiving it at once as gospel.  ‘How do you know?’

’By putting two and two together.  Did not you notice how red Molly went, and then pale, and how she said she knew for a fact that Mr Preston and Cynthia Kirkpatrick were not engaged?’

’Perhaps not engaged; but Mrs. Goodenough saw them loitering together, all by their own two selves—­’

’Mrs. Goodenough only crossed Heath Lane at the Shire Oak, as she was riding in her phaeton,’ said Miss Browning, sententiously.  ’We all know what a coward she is in a carriage, so that most likely she had only half her wits about her, and her eyes are none of the best when she is standing steady on the ground.  Molly and Cynthia have got those new plaid shawls just alike, and they trim their bonnets alike, and Molly is grown as tall as Cynthia since Christmas.  I was always afraid she’d be short and stumpy, but she’s now as tall and slender as any one need be.  I’ll answer for it, Mrs. Goodenough saw Molly, and took her for Cynthia.’

When Miss Browning ‘answered for it’ Miss Phoebe gave up doubting.  She sate some time in silence revolving her thoughts.  Then she said,—­

‘It would not be such a very bad match after all, sister.’  She spoke very meekly, awaiting her sister’s sanction to her opinion.

’Phoebe, it would be a bad match for Mary Preston’s daughter.  If I had known what I know now we’d never have had him to tea last September.’

‘Why, what do you know?’ asked Miss Phoebe.

’Miss Hornblower told me many things; some that I don’t think you ought to hear, Phoebe.  He was engaged to a very pretty Miss Gregson, at Henwick, where he comes from; and her father made inquiries, and heard so much that was bad about him, that he made his daughter break off the match, and she’s dead since!’