th from me again. When did she break off with
Henry--or did he quarrel with her?"

"I have no idea. I was not in the country."

"Do YOU know, dear?"

"No, Mrs. Little. But I am of your mind. I think she could not have
loved Mr. Henry as she ought."

"When did you see her last?"

"I could not say justly, but it was a long while ago."

Mrs. Little interpreted this that Jael had quarreled with Grace for her
fickleness, and gave her a look of beaming affection; then fell into a
dead silence, and soon tears were seen stealing down her cheek.

"But I shall write to her," said she, after a long and painful silence.

Mr. Raby hoped she would do nothing of the kind.

"Oh, I shall not say much. I shall put her one question. Of course SHE
knows why they part."

Next morning Jael Dence asked Mr. Raby whether the threatened letter
must be allowed to go.

"Of course it must," said Raby. "I have gone as far off the straight
path as a gentleman can. And I wish we may not repent our ingenuity.
Deceive a mother about her son! what can justify it, after all?"

Mrs. Little wrote her letter, and showed it to Jael:

"DEAR MISS CARDEN,--They tell me you are about to be married. Can this
be true, and Henry Little alive?"

An answer came back, in due course.

"DEAR MRS. LITTLE,--It is true, and I am miserable. Forgive me, and
forget me."

Mrs. Little discovered the marks of tears upon the paper, and was sorely
puzzled.

She sat silent a long time: then looking up, she saw Jael Dence gazing
at her with moist eyes, and an angelic look of anxiety and affection.

She caught her round the neck, and kissed her, almost passionately.

"All the better," she cried, struggling with a sob. "I shall have my own
way for once. You shall be my daughter instead."

Jael returned her embrace with ardor, but in silence, and with averted
head.

When Jael Dence heard that Grace Carden was in Hillsborough, she felt
very much drawn to go and see her: but she knew the meeting must be a
sad one to them both; and that made her put it off till the very day
before the wedding. Then, thinking it would be too unkind if she held
entirely aloof, and being, in truth, rather curious to know whether
Grace had really been able to transfer her affections in so short a
time, she asked Mr. Raby's leave, and drove one of the ponies in to
Woodbine Villa.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

The short interval previous to the wedding-day passed, to all
appea