d, rising from her seat and going to the
door of the next room, whither her daughter had betaken herself. To Mrs.
Dornell's alarm, there sat Betty in a reverie, her round eyes fixed on
vacancy, musing so deeply that she did not perceive her mother's
entrance. She had heard every word, and was digesting the new knowledge.

Her mother felt that Falls-Park was dangerous ground for a young girl of
the susceptible age, and in Betty's peculiar position, while Dornell
talked and reasoned thus. She called Betty to her, and they took leave.
The Squire would not clearly promise to return and make King's-Hintock
Court his permanent abode; but Betty's presence there, as at former
times, was sufficient to make him agree to pay them a visit soon.

All the way home Betty remained preoccupied and silent. It was too plain
to her anxious mother that Squire Dornell's free views had been a sort of
awakening to the girl.

The interval before Dornell redeemed his pledge to come and see them was
unexpectedly short. He arrived one morning about twelve o'clock, driving
his own pair of black-bays in the curricle-phaeton with yellow panels and
red wheels, just as he had used to do, and his faithful old Tupcombe on
horseback behind. A young man sat beside the Squire in the carriage, and
Mrs. Dornell's consternation could scarcely be concealed when, abruptly
entering with his companion, the Squire announced him as his friend
Phelipson of Elm-Cranlynch.

Dornell passed on to Betty in the background and tenderly kissed her.
'Sting your mother's conscience, my maid!' he whispered. 'Sting her
conscience by pretending you are struck with Phelipson, and would ha'
loved him, as your old father's choice, much more than him she has forced
upon 'ee.'

The simple-souled speaker fondly imagined that it as entirely in
obedience to this direction that Betty's eyes stole interested glances at
the frank and impulsive Phelipson that day at dinner, and he laughed
grimly within himself to see how this joke of his, as he imagined it to
be, was disturbing the peace of mind of the lady of the house. 'Now Sue
sees what a mistake she has made!' said he.

Mrs. Dornell was verily greatly alarmed, and as soon as she could speak a
word with him alone she upbraided him. 'You ought not to have brought
him here. Oh Thomas, how could you be so thoughtless! Lord, don't you
see, dear, that what is done cannot be undone, and how all this foolery
jeopardizes her happ