"Then you'll be doing some more botanising?" "Oh yes." "There's some very nice things a little bit farther round the coast than we went the other day. Would you come some time with my sister and me?" "I should be very glad indeed," said Mona warmly. "It is an immense advantage to go with some one who knows the neighbourhood." "Well, we will arrange the day--later on," and he sighed; "but it won't do to wait too long now." At this moment Mr Hogg rattled up to the door, and the draper went down and helped his visitors into the cart. "Why, I declare he's getting to be quite a lady's man," said Rachel when they were well out of hearing. "I wonder what his sisters would say if he was to get married after all." Meanwhile the Browns discussed their visitors, "It's last year's mantle," said Number one, "but the bonnet's new." "And what a bonnet!" said Number two. "And she still shows two or three good inches of red wrist between her glove and her sleeve," said Number three, "Nobody would think that girl was her cousin." "She's not at all pretty," said Number four, "but she's quite ladylike. Do you know what she is, Philip?" "I don't," he said nervously, "but I fancy she must be a teacher or something of that kind. She has been very well educated." "Ah, that would account for it," said Number two. "It must be a nice change for her to come and stay with Miss Simpson." The draper stood at the window counting up his happiness. There was not a snobbish line in his nature, and Mona was not any the less a fairy princess in his eyes because she seemed suddenly to have come within his reach. He knew his sisters did not want him to marry, and he was grateful to them now for having crushed in the bud certain little fancies in the past; but if he once made up his mind,--he laughed to himself as he thought how little their remonstrances would weigh with him. Of course there was a great chance that so bright and so clever a girl might refuse him; but fifteen years of his sisters' influence had not taught him to exaggerate this probability, and in that part of the country there is a strong superstition to the effect that a woman teacher is not likely to refuse what is commonly known as "an honest man's love." CHAPTER XVII. AUNTIE BELL. The slanting rays of the afternoon sun were throwing the old farmhouse, with its goodly barns and well-built stacks, into mellow lights and warm brown shadows, when Mr Hogg's pony drew up at the garden-gate. Before they had time to get down, Auntie Bell came out to greet them,--such a queer little woman, bent half double, and peering up at her visitors through her gold spectacles with keen expressive eyes. There was force of character in every line of her face and figure, even in the dowdy cap, the grey wincey gown, and snow-white apron. "Why, it's Rachel Simpson," she said. "Come awa' ben. Dick'll tak' the powny." "This is my cousin, Miss Maclean," said Rachel.