aces, as to
importance and eternal significance.

Miss Faith came in laden with farm produce. Her kind entertainers had
brought her in their shandry to the opening of the court in which
the Chapel-house stood; but she was so heavily burdened with eggs,
mushrooms, and plums, that when her brother opened the door she was
almost breathless.

"Oh, Thurstan! take this basket--it is such a weight! Oh, Sally,
is that you? Here are some magnum-bonums which we must preserve
to-morrow. There are guinea-fowl eggs in that basket."

Mr Benson let her unburden her body, and her mind too, by giving
charges to Sally respecting her housekeeping treasures, before he
said a word; but when she returned into the study, to tell him the
small pieces of intelligence respecting her day at the farm, she
stood aghast.

"Why, Thurstan, dear! What's the matter? Is your back hurting you?"

He smiled to reassure her; but it was a sickly and forced smile.

"No, Faith! I am quite well, only rather out of spirits, and wanting
to talk to you to cheer me."

Miss Faith sat down, straight, sitting bolt-upright to listen the
better.

"I don't know how, but the real story about Ruth is found out."

"Oh, Thurstan!" exclaimed Miss Benson, turning quite white.

For a moment, neither of them said another word. Then she went on.

"Does Mr Bradshaw know?"

"Yes! He sent for me, and told me."

"Does Ruth know that it has all come out?"

"Yes. And Leonard knows."

"How? Who told him?"

"I do not know. I have asked no questions. But of course it was his
mother."

"She was very foolish and cruel, then," said Miss Benson, her eyes
blazing, and her lips trembling, at the thought of the suffering her
darling boy must have gone through.

"I think she was wise. I am sure it was not cruel. He must have soon
known that there was some mystery, and it was better that it should
be told him openly and quietly by his mother than by a stranger."

"How could she tell him quietly?" asked Miss Benson, still indignant.

"Well! perhaps I used the wrong word--of course no one was by--and I
don't suppose even they themselves could now tell how it was told, or
in what spirit it was borne."

Miss Benson was silent again.

"Was Mr Bradshaw very angry?"

"Yes, very; and justly so. I did very wrong in making that false
statement at first."

"No! I am sure you did not," said Miss Faith. "Ruth has had some
years of peace, in which to grow stronger and wiser, so t