is victim
had signed the bill when intoxicated? He heard it all;--kissed his
daughter, and then went down to the dining-room.

Mrs. Parker, when she saw him, got up, and curtsied low, and then sat
down again. Old Wharton looked at her from under his bushy eyebrows
before he spoke, and then sat opposite to her. "Madam," he said,
"this is a very sad story that I have heard." Mrs. Parker again rose,
again curtsied, and put her handkerchief to her face. "It is of no
use talking any more about it here."

"No, sir," said Mrs. Parker.

"I and my daughter leave town early to-morrow morning."

"Indeed, sir. Mrs. Lopez didn't tell me."

"My clerk will be in London, at No. 12, Stone Buildings, Lincoln's
Inn, till I come back. Do you think you can find the place? I have
written it there."

"Yes, sir, I can find it," said Mrs. Parker, just raising herself
from her chair at every word she spoke.

"I have written his name, you see. Mr. Crumpy."

"Yes, sir."

"If you will permit me, I will give you two sovereigns now."

"Thank you, sir."

"And if you can make it convenient to call on Mr. Crumpy every
Thursday morning about twelve, he will pay you two sovereigns a week
till I come back to town. Then I will see about it."

"God Almighty bless you, sir!"

"And as to the furniture, I will write to my attorney, Mr. Walker.
You need not trouble yourself by going to him."

"No, sir."

"If necessary, he will send to you, and he will see what can be done.
Good night, Mrs. Parker." Then he walked across the room with two
sovereigns which he dropped in her hand. Mrs. Parker, with many sobs,
bade him farewell, and Mr. Wharton stood in the hall immovable till
the front door had been closed behind her. "I have settled it," he
said to Emily. "I'll tell you to-morrow, or some day. Don't worry
yourself now, but go to bed." She looked wistfully,--so sadly, up
into his face, and then did as he bade her.

But Mr. Wharton could not go to bed without further trouble. It was
incumbent on him to write full particulars that very night both to
Mr. Walker and to Mr. Crumpy. And the odious letters in the writing
became very long;--odious because he had to confess in them over and
over again that his daughter, the very apple of his eye, had been the
wife of a scoundrel. To Mr. Walker he had to tell the whole story of
the alleged forgery, and in doing so could not abstain from the use
of hard words. "I don't suppose that it can be proved, but