’Well; yes; no.  By what she said last I shouldn’t leave her at all in that way.  Only I’m sure it’s not possible.’

‘I am the worst hand in the world, Dolly, at guessing a riddle.’

‘You’ve heard of that Mr Gibson, the clergyman haven’t you?’

‘Of course I have.’

’Well—.  Mind, you know, it’s only what Aunt Stanbury says.  He has never so much as opened his lips to me himself, except to say, “How do you do?” and that kind of thing.’

‘Aunt Stanbury wants you to marry him?’

‘Yes!’

‘Well?’

‘Of course it’s out of the question,’ said Dorothy, sadly.

‘I don’t see why it should be out of the question,’ said Priscilla, proudly.  ’Indeed, if Aunt Stanbury has said much about it, I should say that Mr Gibson himself must have spoken to her.’

‘Do you think he has?’

‘I do not believe that my aunt would raise false hopes,’ said Priscilla.

’But I haven’t any hopes.  That is to say, I had never thought about such a thing.’

‘But you think about it now, Dolly?’

‘I should never have dreamed about it, only for Aunt Stanbury.’

‘But, dearest, you are dreaming of it now, are you not?’

’Only because she says that it is to be so.  You don’t know how generous she is.  She says that if it should be so, she will give me ever so much money two thousand pounds!’

’Then I am quite sure that she and Mr Gibson must understand each other.’

‘Of course,’ said Dorothy, sadly, ’if he were to think of such a thing at all, it would only be because the money would be convenient.’

‘Not at all,’ said Priscilla, sternly with a sternness that was very comfortable to her listener.  ’Not at all.  Why should not Mr Gibson love you as well as any man ever loved any woman?  You are nice-looking,’ Dorothy blushed beneath her hat even at her sister’s praise ’and good-tempered, and lovable in every way.  And I think you are just fitted to make a good wife.  And you must not suppose, Dolly, that because Mr Gibson wouldn’t perhaps, have asked you without the money, that therefore he is mercenary.  It so often happens that a gentleman can’t marry unless the lady has some money!’

‘But he hasn’t asked me at all.’

‘I suppose he will, dear.’

‘I only know what Aunt Stanbury says.’

‘You may be sure that he will ask you.’

‘And what must I say, Priscilla?’

’What must you say?  Nobody can tell you that, dear, but yourself.  Do you like him?’

‘I don’t dislike him.’

‘Is that all?’

’I know him so very little, Priscilla.  Everybody says he is very good and then it’s a great thing, isn’t it, that he should be a clergyman?’

‘I don’t know about that.’

’I think it is.  If it were possible that I should ever marry any one, I should like a clergyman so much the best.’