one in your house."

"Has he--ill-treated you?"

Then she got up, and stood before him. "I do not mean to complain. I
should have said nothing only that you have found us in this way. For
myself I will bear it all, whatever it may be. But, papa, I want you
to tell him that we must leave this house."

"He has got no other home for you."

"He must find one. I will go anywhere. I don't care where it is. But
I won't stay here. I have done it myself, but I won't bring it upon
you. I could bear it all if I thought that you would never see me
again."

"Emily!"

"Yes;--if you would never see me again. I know it all, and that would
be best." She was now walking about the room. "Why should you see it
all?"

"See what, my love?"

"See his ruin, and my unhappiness, and my baby. Oh,--oh,--oh!"

"I think so very differently, Emily, that under no circumstances will
I have you taken to another home. I cannot understand much of all
this yet, but I suppose I shall come to see it. If Lopez be, as you
say, ruined, it is well that I have still enough for us to live on.
This is a bad time just now to talk about your husband's affairs."

"I did not mean to talk about them, papa."

"What would you like best to do now,--now at once. Can you go down
again to your husband's friends?"

"No;--no;--no."

"As for the dinner, never mind about that. I can't blame him for
making use of my house in my absence, as far as that goes,--though
I wish he could have contented himself with such a dinner as my
servants could have prepared for him. I will have some tea here."

"Let me stay with you, papa, and make it for you."

"Very well, dear. I do not mean to be ashamed to enter my own
dining-room. I shall, therefore, go in and make your apologies."
Thereupon Mr. Wharton walked slowly forth and marched into the
dining-room.

"Oh, Mr. Wharton," said Mrs. Dick, "we didn't expect you."

"Have you dined yet, sir?" asked Lopez.

"I dined early," said Mr. Wharton. "I should not now have come in to
disturb you, but that I have found Mrs. Lopez unwell, and she has
begged me to ask you to excuse her."

"I will go to her," said Lopez, rising.

"It is not necessary," said Wharton. "She is not ill, but hardly able
to take her place at table." Then Mrs. Dick proposed to go to her
dear niece; but Mr. Wharton would not allow it, and left the room,
having succeeded in persuading them to go on with their dinner. Lopez
certainly was not happy during t