fashionable shops were not to be trusted.

"I am afraid," said Colonel Keith, "that the whole can scarcely be
shifted on the tradesmen. I fear poor Bessie was scarcely free from
blame in this matter."

"Not paying! Going on in debt! Oh she could not have meant it;" said
Rachel, still too much astonished to understand. "Of course one hears of
gay, thoughtless people doing such things, but Bessie--who had so much
thought and sense. It must be a mistake! Can't you go and speak to the
people?"

"It is very sad and painful to make such discoveries," said Colonel
Keith; "but I am afraid such things are not uncommon in the set she was
too much thrown amongst."

"But she knew so well--she was so superior; and with Alick and her uncle
to keep her above them," said Rachel; "I cannot think she could have
done such things."

"I could not think, but I see it was so," said Colonel Keith, gravely.
"As I am obliged to understand these things, she must have greatly
exceeded her means, and have used much cleverness and ingenuity in
keeping the tradesmen quiet, and preventing all from coming to light."

"How miserable! I can't fancy living in such a predicament."

"I am much afraid," added the Colonel, looking over the papers, "that it
explains the marriage--and then Keith did not allow her as much as she
expected."

"Oh, Colonel Keith, don't!" cried Rachel; "it is just the one thing
where I could not bear to believe Alick. She was so dear and beautiful,
and spoke so rightly."

"To believe Alick!" repeated the Colonel, as Rachel's voice broke down.

"I thought--I ought not to have thought--he was hard upon her--but
he knew better," said Rachel, "of course he did not know of all this
dreadful business!"

"Assuredly not," said the Colonel, "that is self-evident, but as you
say, I am afraid he did know his poor sister's character better than we
did, when he came to warn me against the marriage."

"Did he? Oh how much it must have cost him."

"I am afraid I did not make it cost him less. I thought he judged her
harshly, and that his illness had made him magnify trifles, but though
our interference would have been perfectly useless, he was quite right
in his warning. Now that, poor thing, she is no longer here to enchant
us with her witcheries, I see that my brother greatly suffered from
being kept away from home, and detained in this place, and that she left
him far more alone than she ought to have done."

"Yes, Alick thoug