r to Adela's mind this clenched
her argument. Granted the absence of certain qualities which she held
essential in a gentleman, there seemed to her no reason for another word
on the subject.

'Pray, when has he misbehaved himself?' inquired her mother, with a
touch of pique.

'I cannot go into details. Mr. Mutimer has no doubt many excellent
qualities; no doubt he is really an earnest and a well-meaning man. But
if I am asked to say more than that, it must be the truth--as it seems
to me. Please, mother dear, don't ask me to talk about him in future.
And there is something else I wish to say. I do hope you won't be
offended with me, but indeed I--I hope you will not ask me to go to the
Manor again. I feel I ought not to go. It is painful; I suffer when I am
there.'

'How strange you are to-day, Adela! Really, I think you might allow me
to decide what is proper and what is not. My experience is surely the
best judge. You are worse than unkind, Adela; it's rude to speak to me
like that.'

'Dear mother,' said the girl, with infinite gentleness, 'I am very, very
sorry. How could I be unkind or rude to you? I didn't for a moment mean
that my judgment was better than yours; it is my feelings that I
speak of. You won't ask me to explain--to say more than that? You must
understand me?'

'Oh yes, my dear, I understand you too well,' was the stiff reply. 'Of
course I am old-fashioned, and I suppose old-fashioned people are a
little coarse; _their_ feelings are not quite as fine as they might be.
We will say no more for the present, Adela. I will do my best not to
lead you into disagreeable situations through my lack of delicacy.'

There were tears in Adela's eyes.

'Mother, now it is you who are unkind. I am so sorry that I spoke. You
won't take my words as they were meant. Must I say that I cannot let
Mr. Mutimer misunderstand the way in which. I regard him? He comes here
really so very often, and if we begin to go there too--. People are
talking about it, indeed they are; Letty has told me so. How can I help
feeling pained?'

Mrs. Waltham drew out her handkerchief and appeared mildly agitated.
When Adela bent and kissed her she sighed deeply, then said in an
undertone of gentle melancholy:

'I ask your pardon, my dear. I am afraid there has been a little
misunderstanding on both sides. But we won't talk any more of it--there,
there!'

By which the good lady of course meant that she would renew the subject
on the