such as I am. Only I did think that perhaps, seeing
that we had been partners with your brother so long-- All the same, I
know that the Mackenzies are different from the Rubbs."

"That has nothing to do with it; nothing in the least."

"Hasn't it now? Then, perhaps, Miss Mackenzie, at some future time--"

Miss Mackenzie was obliged to tell him that there could not possibly
be any other answer given to him at any future time than that which
she gave him now. He suggested that perhaps he might be allowed to
try again when the first month or two of her grief for her brother
should be over; but she assured him that it would be useless. At the
moment of her conference with him, she did this with all her energy;
and then, as soon as she was alone, she asked herself why she had
been so energetical. After all, marriage was an excellent state in
which to live. The romance was doubtless foolish and wrong, and the
tearing of the papers had been discreet, yet there could be no good
reason why she should turn her back upon sober wedlock. Nevertheless,
in all her speech to Mr Rubb she did do so. There was something in
her position as connected with Mr Maguire which made her feel that it
would be indelicate to entertain another suitor before that gentleman
had received a final answer.

As she went away from Gower Street to the Cedars she thought of this
very sadly, and told herself that she had been like the ass who
starved between two bundles of hay, or as the boy who had fallen
between two stools.

CHAPTER XVI

Lady Ball's Grievance

Miss Mackenzie, before she left Gower Street, was forced to make
some arrangements as to her affairs at Littlebath, and these were
ultimately settled in a manner that was not altogether palatable to
her. Mr Rubb was again sent down, having Susanna in his charge, and
he was empowered to settle with Miss Mackenzie's landlady and give
up the lodgings. There was much that was disagreeable in this. Miss
Mackenzie having just rejected Mr Rubb's suit, did not feel quite
comfortable in giving him a commission to see all her stockings and
petticoats packed up and brought away from the lodgings. Indeed, she
could give him no commission of the kind, but intimated her intention
of writing to the lodging-house keeper. He, however, was profuse
in his assurances that nothing should be left behind, and if Miss
Mackenzie would tell him anything of the way in which the things
ought to be packed, he woul