she will never force any man to marry her

against his will.

own, has Jenny."

She has a spirit of her

Do you know at all who is the villain that has brought so much misery to a poor family?"

"I may have my own doubts, sir, but Jenny has not let on to any one."

Mr. Pringle saw that a little pressing was all his communicative hostess needed, and he was much too practised a cross-examiner not soon to elicit what he wanted.

"There was one Rob Murray," she said, "people did say Jenny was very throng with him, but he was a wild, thriftless chap, and could have no money."

"The Fordyces seemed to have plenty of money, did they; more than you could account for?"

"Far more, for there was Jenny's dress; and then, when Will 'listed, they bought him off at once, and a good lump that cost, Where could it come from."

too.

66

Where, indeed?" echoed Mr. Pringle.

"There was a young gentleman back

wards and forwards here many times last. back-end; what was that for? Some said it was his master's business, but I cannot say; it did not look well."

"But the grandmother never would have taken the money."

"Ah, well, I don't know; Jenny might find ways to explain it. I only say what I think. I may be wrong."

"You do not know where the Fordyces are gone to, do you?"

"No, sir; nobody knows; some way south, I believe."

Mr. Pringle now took his departure. He rode home in deep and sad thought. What he had heard tended to throw strong suspicion upon Edward, and although there was not evidence enough to satisfy his own mind, he saw plainly that, in the absence of any other means of accounting for the young man's flight, this story would be eagerly seized upon, and generally believed. "The explanation is so plausible," thought he, "and so exactly of a nature to attract this gossiping world of ours. The young man

seduces the poor girl under promise of marriage. She has too much spirit herself to prove the promise; the grandmother discovers the state of the case, threatens to make all public, and in his consternation and terror Johnson does the most foolish thing he possibly can do-runs away! The money returned the message, they can never repay what they owe him-all confirm the story. And then both parties disappear the same day. Upon my word it is very odd, and if I had not somehow a liking for the youth, I should be tempted to form one of the credulous; as it is, I don't know what to think. What will Mr. Marshall say? What will Miss Hardy believe? Somebody is sure to have the kindness to tell her."

Thus communing with himself, Mr. Pringle reached his home, grieved at the result of his inquiries, hesitating to condemn Edward on insufficient evidence, yet unable to shake off suspicion himself, and quite unable to disprove the accusation should it be advanced by others.

CHAPTER XV.

When overtasked, at length,
Both Love and Hope beneath the load give way,
Then with a statue's smile, a statue's strength,
Stands the mute sister Patience, nothing loath,
And both supporting does the work of both.

S. T. COLERidge.

MR. HARDY had invited many of his relations to Allerton for the wedding, and it happened unfortunately enough that the distance at which some of them lived, and the proverbial slowness and inconvenience of cross posts, made it impossible to warn them in time that the event they were summoned to celebrate was no longer to take place.

On the Monday following Edward's departure, preparations were accordingly made at Allerton for the reception of Mr. and Mrs. Scott, the latter a sister of Mr. Hardy's, their eldest son and daughter, and their

youngest, a baby in arms, as well as for Mrs. Douglas, who was a sister of Mary's mother.

Mary tried to harden herself against the little annoyances that were every moment occurring, and which, though as nothing to the wide sea of sorrow, she found more difficult to bear with courage and patience. Now would come a letter of congratulation, which must be answered; now a present, which must be returned. Articles ordered for the new home arrived, and must be disposed of; servants came to be engaged, and must be dismissed. To do Aunt Jane justice, she took much of this kindly and willingly off Mary's hands, though not without enlarging a good deal upon each separate circumstance. Still there was much that could not be escaped. Going unexpectedly into her bed-room, Mary found all the maids in the house assembled in eager admiration and loud pity over her weddinggown, which, with its accompanying decorations, had just come home from the milliner; and when she took refuge in her sitting