learned of his daughter's marriage. His face grew purple. He looked
apoplectic as he said to his wife,

"Nancy, what in God's name does this mean?"

His frightened wife asked what, and he read the announcement aloud.

He rose from table, and walked up and down the room.

"Did you know any thing of this?" inquired he. "What does it mean?"

"Dear me! I thought he was engaged to Hope Wayne," replied Mrs. Newt,
crying.

There was a moment's silence. Then Mr. Newt said, with a sneer,

"It seems to me that a mother whose, daughter gets married without her
knowledge is a very curious kind of mother--an extremely competent kind
of mother."

He resumed his walking. Mrs. Newt went on with her weeping. But Boniface
Newt was aware of the possibilities in the case of Alfred, and therefore
tried to recover himself and consider the chances.

"What do you know about this fellow?" said he, petulantly, to his wife.

"I don't know any thing in particular," she sobbed.

"Do you know whether he has money, or whether his father has?"

"No; but old Mr. Burt is his grandfather."

"What! his mother's father?"

"I believe so. I know Fanny always said he was Hope Wayne's cousin."

Mr. Newt pondered for a little while. His brow contracted.

"Why on earth have they run away? Did Mr. Burt's grandson suppose he
would be unwelcome to me? Has he been in the habit of coming here,
Nancy?"

"No, not much."

"Have you seen them since this thing?"

"No, indeed," replied the mother, bursting into tears afresh.

Her husband looked at her darkly.

"Don't blubber. What good does crying do? G--! if any thing happens in
this world, a woman falls to crying her eyes out, as if that would help
it."

Boniface Newt was not usually affectionate. But there was almost a
ferocity in his address at this moment which startled his wife into
silence. His daughter May turned pale as she saw and heard her father.

"I thought Abel was trial enough!" said he, bitterly; "and now the girl
must fall to cutting up shines. I tell you plainly, Nancy, if Fanny has
married a beggar, a beggar she shall be. There is some reason for a
private marriage that we don't understand. It can't be any good reason;
and, daughter or no daughter, she shall lie in the bed she has made."

He scowled and set his teeth as he said it. His wife did not dare to cry
any more. May went to her mother and took her hand, while the father of
the family walked rapidly up and down.

"