"Is it about Mr Crosbie?"

"Yes, mamma." And then the rest had been said through the medium of
warm embraces and happy tears rather than by words.

As she sat in her mother's room, hiding her face on her mother's
shoulders, Bell had come, and had knelt at her feet.

"Dear Lily," she had said, "I am so glad." And then Lily remembered
how she had, as it were, stolen her lover from her sister, and she
put her arms round Bell's neck and kissed her.

"I knew how it was going to be from the very first," said Bell. "Did
I not, mamma?"

"I'm sure I didn't," said Lily. "I never thought such a thing was
possible."

"But we did,--mamma and I."

"Did you?" said Lily.

"Bell told me that it was to be so," said Mrs Dale. "But I could
hardly bring myself at first to think that he was good enough for my
darling."

"Oh, mamma! you must not say that. You must think that he is good
enough for anything."