onway will tell us all about it."

"By the way, Mrs. Conway, have you heard the news?"

"What news, Mrs. Withers?"

"In the newspaper I got yesterday evening it was said that a despatch
had just been received from the Duke of Wellington saying he had news
that Bonaparte was advancing, and that he had just issued orders for
the troops to march forward to support the Prussians, who were likely
to be first attacked."

"No, I had heard nothing about it," Mrs. Conway said, turning pale.
"Then there is going to be a battle, and Ralph will be engaged."

"You must not alarm yourself," the vicar said. "You know the troops
are very widely scattered, and his regiment may not be up in time;
beside, you see, the Prussians are likely to be first attacked, and
they may beat the French before the English get up to join in the
battle."

"Now, Mrs. Conway," Mr. Withers said when they had finished breakfast,
"please take pity on us and tell us all about it."

"Is Mabel to go away, or is she to hear it all, James?" Mrs. Withers
asked.

"What do you think, Mrs. Conway?"

"I see no reason whatever against her hearing. Mabel is fast growing
up. You are past fifteen now, are you not, Mabel?"

"Yes, Mrs. Conway."

"Then I think she has a right to hear all about it. She is, after all,
the party most interested."

"Thank you, Mrs. Conway," the girl said. "Please let us go out into
the garden and sit in the chairs under the shade of that tree. I can
see it is going to be a long story, and it will be delightful out
there; and then papa can smoke his after-breakfast cigar."

"Very well, Mabel; if your mamma has no objection, I am quite
willing."

The chairs were taken out into the shade of the tree and the party sat
down, Mabel all excitement, for as yet she knew nothing whatever of
what had happened, and was puzzling herself in vain as to how Mrs.
Conway could have been working in her interest.

"In the first place, Mabel," Mrs. Conway began, "I suppose you have no
idea why you were sent away to Bath?"

Mabel opened her eyes in surprise.

"I thought I went there to get lessons in music and French and
dancing."

"Well, you did go for that purpose, but for something else also. You
were sent away in order that you might not see me."

"Not see you, Mrs. Conway! Why, you must be joking. Why, papa, what
reason could there possibly be why I should not see Mrs. Conway? And
beside, you never told me in your letter that she had been