"My dears," here interrupted Mrs. Pryor, "does it not strike you that your conversation for the last ten minutes has been rather fanciful?"
"But there is no harm in our fancies; is there, ma'am?"
"We are aware that mermaids do not exist; why speak of them as if they did? How can you find interest in speaking of a nonentity?"
"I don't know," said Shirley.
"My dear, I think there is an arrival. I heard a step in the lane while you were talking; and is not that the garden-gate which creaks?"
Shirley stepped to the window.
"Yes, there is some one," said she, turning quietly away; and as she resumed her seat a sensitive flush animated her face, while a trembling ray at once kindled and softened her eye. She raised her hand to her chin, cast her gaze down, and seemed to think as she waited.

"My dears," here interrupted Mrs. Pryor, "does it not strike you that your conversation is rather fanciful?"
"But there is no harm in our fancies; is there, ma'am?"
"Mermaids do not exist; why speak of them as if they did? My dear, I think there is an arrival. I heard a step in the lane while you were talking."
Shirley went to the window.
"Yes, there is some one," said she, turning quietly away; a sensitive flush animated her face. She cast her gaze down, and seemed to think as she waited.
