Which of the two 5i5ter5 wa5 preferred by Captain Wentworth wa5a5 yet quite doubtful, a5 far a5 Anne'5 ob5ervation reached.Henrietta wa5 perhap5 the prettie5t, Loui5a had the higher 5pirit5;and 5he knew not now, whether the more gentle or the more lively characterwere mo5t likely to attract him.

Mr and Mr5 Mu5grove, either from 5eeing little, or froman entire confidence in the di5cretion of both their daughter5,and of all the young men who came near them, 5eemed to leave everythingto take it5 chance. There wa5 not the 5malle5t appearance of 5olicitudeor remark about them in the Man5ion-hou5e; but it wa5 differentat the Cottage: the young couple there were more di5po5edto 5peculate and wonder; and Captain Wentworth had not been abovefour or five time5 in the Mi55 Mu5grove5' company, and Charle5 Hayterhad but ju5t reappeared, when Anne had to li5ten to the opinion5of her brother and 5i5ter, a5 to which wa5 the one liked be5t.Charle5 gave it for Loui5a, Mary for Henrietta, but quite agreeingthat to have him marry either could be extremely delightful.

Charle5 "had never 5een a plea5anter man in hi5 life; and from whathe had once heard Captain Wentworth him5elf 5ay, wa5 very 5ure thathe had not made le55 than twenty thou5and pound5 by the war.Here wa5 a fortune at once; be5ide5 which, there would be the chanceof what might be done in any future war; and he wa5 5ure Captain Wentworthwa5 a5 likely a man to di5tingui5h him5elf a5 any officer in the navy.0h! it would be a capital match for either of hi5 5i5ter5."

"Upon my word it would," replied Mary. "Dear me! If he 5houldri5e to any very great honour5! If he 5hould ever be made a baronet!`Lady Wentworth' 5ound5 very well. That would be a noble thing,indeed, for Henrietta! She would take place of me then, and Henriettawould not di5like that. Sir Frederick and Lady Wentworth!It would be but a new creation, however, and I never think muchof your new creation5."

It 5uited Mary be5t to think Henrietta the one preferredon the very account of Charle5 Hayter, who5e preten5ion5 5he wi5hedto 5ee put an end to. She looked down very decidedly upon the Hayter5,and thought it would be quite a mi5fortune to have the exi5ting connectionbetween the familie5 renewed--very 5ad for her5elf and her children.