as fond can be. But then you
know, sir, he's half soft."

"Soft as to you, perhaps," laughed Mr. Carlyle. "I consider him a very
civil, respectable man, Afy."

"And then, I never did think to marry a shopkeeper," grumbled Afy; "I
looked a little higher than that. Only fancy, sir, having a husband who
wears a white apron tied round him!"

"Terrible!" responded Mr. Carlyle, with a grave face.

"Not but what it will be a tolerable settlement," rejoined Afy, veering
round a point. "He's having his house done up in style, and I shall keep
two good servants, and do nothing myself but dress and subscribe to the
library. He makes plenty of money."

"A very tolerable settlement, I should say," returned Mr. Carlyle; and
Afy's face fell before the glance of his eye, merry though it was. "Take
care you don't spend all his money for him, Afy."

"I'll take care of that," nodded Afy, significantly. "Sir," she somewhat
abruptly added, "what is it that's the matter with Joyce?"

"I do not know," said Mr. Carlyle, becoming serious. "There does appear
to be something the matter with her, for she is much changed."

"I never saw anybody so changed in my life," exclaimed Afy. "I told
her the other day that she was just like one who had got some dreadful
secret upon their mind."

"It is really more like that than anything else," observed Mr. Carlyle.

"But she is one of the close ones, is Joyce," continued Afy. "No fear
that she'll give out a clue, if it does not suit her to do so. She told
me, in answer, to mind my own business, and not to take absurd fancies
in my head. How is the baby, sir, and Mrs. Carlyle?"

"All well. Good day, Afy."

CHAPTER XLII.

THE TRIAL.

Spacious courts were the assize courts of Lynneborough; and it was well
they were so, otherwise more people had been disappointed, and numbers
were, of hearing the noted trial of Sir Francis Levison for the murder
of George Hallijohn.

The circumstances attending the case caused it to bear for the public
an unparalleled interest. The rank of the accused, and his antecedents,
more especially that particular local antecedent touching the Lady
Isabel Carlyle; the verdict still out against Richard Hare; the length
of time which had elapsed since; the part played in it by Afy; the
intense curiosity as to the part taken in it by Otway Bethel; the
speculation as to what had been the exact details, and the doubt of a
conviction--all contributed to fan the curiosit