her and the archdeacon she had very little to say
as to the interview. "No, he did not scold me," she replied to an
inquiry from her friend. "But he spoke about your engagement?" said
Mrs. Robarts. "There is no engagement," said Grace. "But I suppose you
acknowledged, my dear, that a future engagement is quite possible?"
"I told him, Mrs. Robarts," Grace answered, after hesitating for
a moment, "that I would never marry his son as long as papa was
suspected by any one in the world of being a thief. And I will keep
my word." But she said nothing to Mrs. Robarts of the pledge which the
archdeacon had made to her.

CHAPTER LVIII

The Cross-grainedness of Men

[Illustration]

By the time that the archdeacon reached Plumstead his enthusiasm in
favour of Grace Crawley had somewhat cooled itself; and the language
which from time to time he prepared for conveying his impressions to
his wife, became less fervid as he approached his home. There was his
pledge, and by that he would abide;--and so much he would make both
his wife and his son understand. But any idea which he might have
entertained for a moment of extending the promise he had given and
relaxing that given to him was gone before he saw his own chimneys.
Indeed, I fear he had by that time begun to feel that the only
salvation now open to him must come from the jury's verdict. If the
jury should declare Mr. Crawley to be guilty, then--; he would not say
even to himself that in such case all would be right, but he did feel
that much as he might regret the fate of the poor Crawleys, and of
the girl whom in his warmth he had declared to be almost an angel,
nevertheless to him personally such a verdict would bring consolatory
comfort.

"I have seen Miss Crawley," he said to his wife, as soon as he had
closed the door of his study, before he had been two minutes out of
the chaise. He had determined that he would dash at the subject at
once, and he thus carried his resolution into effect.

"You have seen Grace Crawley?"

"Yes; I went up to the parsonage and called upon her. Lady Lufton
advised me to do so."

"And Henry?"

"Oh, Henry has gone. He was only there one night. I suppose he saw
her, but I am not sure."

"Would not Miss Crawley tell you?"

"I forgot to ask her." Mrs. Grantly, at hearing this, expressed her
surprise by opening wide her eyes. He had gone all the way over to
Framley on purpose to look after his son, and learn what were his
doin