"You will be wiser this time. Here, I can give you this little box, for
Mr. Arden compounded a fresh store in town."

"I dare not, sister. He has ever bidden me trust without sight; and you
cannot guess how good he is to me, and how noble and generous. I cannot
insult him by a doubt."

"Then he should not act as no true woman can endure."

"And it would hurt him."

"Tut, tut, child; if the lightning did not harm him how can this flash?
I tell you no man has a right to trifle with you in this manner, and it
is your duty to yourself and all of us to find out the truth. Some young
rake may have bribed the black, and be personating him; and some day you
may find yourself carried off you know not where."

"Harriet, if you only knew either Mr. Belamour or Jumbo, you would know
that you are saying things most shocking!"

"Convince me, then! Look here, Aurelia, if you cannot write to me and
explain this double-faced or double-voiced husband of yours, I vow to
you that I shall speak to Mr. Arden, and write to my father."

"Oh! do not, do not, sister! Remember, it is of no use unless this
temper of affection be on him, and I have not heard it this fortnight,
no, nor more."

"Promise me, then, that you will make the experiment. See, here is a
little chain-stitch pouch--poor Peggy Duckworth's gift to me--with two
pockets. Let me fasten it under your dress, and then you will always
have it about you."

"If the bottle broke as I rode home!"

"Impossible; it is a scent-bottle of strong glass."

Here Mr. Arden knocked at the door, regretting to interrupt their
confidences, but dinner awaited them; and as, immediately after, Mrs.
Hunter brought her husband in his best wig to call on Madame Belamour
and her relations, the sisters had no more time together, till the
horses were at the door, and they went to their room together to put on
their hats.

A whole mass of refusals and declarations of perfect confidence were on
Aurelia's tongue, but Harriet cut them all short by saying, "Remember,
you are bound for your own honour and ours, to clear up this mystery!"

Then they rode off their several ways, Madame Belamour towards Bowstead,
Mr. and Mrs. Arden on their sturdy roadster towards Lea Farm.

CHAPTER XXII. A FATAL SPARK.

And so it chanced; which in those dark
And fireless halls was quite amazing,
Did we not know how small a spark
Can set the torch of love ablazing.