hin herself of the
Miss Hemmings and other spinsters, and how they got along upon this
path of life, which, after all, is never lightsome to behold, except
in the future or the past. It was dead present with the Rector's wife
just then, and many speculations were in her mind, as was natural.
"Not that I could not have lived unmarried," she continued within
herself, with a woman's pride; "but things looked so different at
five-and-twenty!" and in her heart she grudged the cares she had lost,
and sighed over this wasting of her years.

It was just then that the youngest Miss Hemmings saw Mrs Morgan, and
crossed over to speak to her. Miss Hemmings had left five-and-thirty
behind a long time ago, and thought the Rector's wife a happy woman in
the bloom of youth. When she had discovered conclusively that Mrs
Morgan would not go in to have a cup of tea, Miss Hemmings volunteered
to walk with her to the corner; and it is not necessary to say that
she immediately plunged into the topic which at that moment engaged
all minds in Carlingford. "If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I
should not have believed it," said Miss Hemmings. "I should have
thought it a got-up story; not that I ever could have thought it
_impossible_, as you say--for, alas! I know well that without grace
every wickedness is more than possible--but I saw them with my own
eyes, my dear Mrs Morgan; she standing outside, the bold little thing,
and he at the door--as if it was right for a clergyman to open the
door like a man-servant--and from that moment to this she has not been
seen by any living creature in Carlingford: who can tell what may have
been done with her?" cried the horrified eyewitness. "She has never
been seen from that hour!"

"But that was only twenty-four hours ago," said Mrs Morgan; "she may
have gone off to visit some of her friends."

"Ah, my dear Mrs Morgan, twenty-four hours is a long time for a girl
to disappear out of her own home," said Miss Hemmings; "and all her
friends have been sent to, and no word can be heard of her. I am
afraid it will go very hard with Mr Wentworth; and I am sure it looks
like a judgment upon him for all his candlesticks and flowers and
things," she continued, out of breath with the impetuosity of her
tale.

"Do you think, then, that God makes people sin in order to punish
them?" said Mrs Morgan, with some fire, which shocked Miss Hemmings,
who did not quite know how to reply.

"I do so wish you would co