“I wish—” she began impetuously, and then abruptly checked herself.
“What?” prompted Jane, curiously. For some reason, she really wanted very much to know what Miss Lily wished. But Lily shook her head, smiling a little awkwardly as if she regretted even having said so much; or as if she wasn’t sure herself what she did wish. Every now and again, one caught that quick, vanishing expression in her large blue eyes, which seemed to say, “I wish—” and never got any farther.
“Oh, I don’t know what I was going to say. Something foolish, no doubt,” and then to change the subject, she said hastily,
“I suppose you have heard the news about the Sheridan house?”
“No! What? It isn’t sold, is it? If they tear it down, and build a horrid old factory there, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“Oh, no—not that. But some member of the family is going to live there again, and is already moving in.”
“Why, that’s nice,” said Jane. What a lot of events were taking place in Frederickstown! “Do you know who it is? Man, woman or child? Any people of my age? Anybody interesting?”
Lily blushed slightly.
“Why, I’m not sure. I think there’s only one—a Mr. Sheridan, I suppose.”
“Young, old or middle-aged?” inquired Jane, who had already rather lost interest.