s inhabitants.
Mr Maguire, as he walked home by himself, assured himself that he
might as well now put the question; he had been thinking about it for
the last two months, and had made up his mind that matrimony would be
good for him.

Miss Mackenzie, as she went to bed, told herself that she might have
a husband if she pleased; but then, which should it be? Mr Rubb's
manners were very much against him; but of Mr Maguire's eye she had
caught a gleam as he turned from her on the doorsteps, which made her
think of that alliance with dismay.

CHAPTER XII

Mrs Stumfold Interferes

On the morning following Miss Todd's tea-party, Mr Rubb called on
Miss Mackenzie and bade her adieu. He was, he said, going up to
London at once, having received a letter which made his presence
there imperative. Miss Mackenzie could, of course, do no more than
simply say good-bye to him. But when she had said so he did not even
then go at once. He was standing with his hat in hand, and had bade
her farewell; but still he did not go. He had something to say, and
she stood there trembling, half fearing what the nature of that
something might be.

"I hope I may see you again before long," he said at last.

"I hope you may," she replied.

"Of course I shall. After all that's come and gone, I shall think
nothing of running down, if it were only to make a morning call."

"Pray don't do that, Mr Rubb."

"I shall, as a matter of course. But in spite of that, Miss
Mackenzie, I can't go away without saying another word about the
money. I can't indeed."

"There needn't be any more about that, Mr Rubb."

"But there must be, Miss Mackenzie; there must, indeed; at least, so
much as this. I know I've done wrong about that money."

"Don't talk about it. If I choose to lend it to my brother and you
without security, there's nothing very uncommon in that."

"No; there ain't; at least perhaps there ain't. Though as far as I
can see, brothers and sisters out in the world are mostly as hard to
each other where money is concerned as other people. But the thing
is, you didn't mean to lend it without security."

"I'm quite contented as it is."

"And I did wrong about it all through; I feel it so that I can't tell
you. I do, indeed. But I'll never rest till that money is paid back
again. I never will."

Then, having said that, he went away. When early on the preceding
evening he had put on bright yellow gloves, making himself smart
before t