ised you of your
brother's state; there was ample time to have done it."

"I know nothing of it I vow to Heaven I had not the slightest suspicion
of it!"

"Telegraphs, too, are active agencies in these days, and I wrote to
Fordyce to use every exertion to acquaint you."

"I can only repeat what I have said already, that I was utterly
ignorant of everything till I arrived at Baden; there I accidentally met
Twining--"

"Spicer told me about it," said she abruptly, as though it was not
necessary to discuss any point conceded on both sides. "Your coming,"
continued she, "was all the more eagerly looked for because it was
necessary you should be, so far as possible, prepared for the suit we
are threatened with; actions at law for ejectments on title are already
announced, and great--the very greatest--inconvenience has resulted for
want of formal instructions on your part."

"Is the thing really serious, Georgy?" asked he, with an unfeigned
anxiety of manner.

"If you only will take the trouble of reading Fordyce's two last
letters,--they are very long, I confess, and somewhat difficult to
understand,--you will at least see that his opinion is the reverse of
favorable. In fact, he thinks the English estates are gone."

"Oh, Georgy dearest! but _you_ don't believe that?"

"The Irish barony and certain lands in Cork," resumed she, calmly, "are
not included in the demand they profess to make; nor, of course, have
they any claim as to the estates purchased by Lord Lackington through
Mr. Dunn."

"But the title?"

"The Viscounty goes with the English property."

"Good heavens! a title we have held undisturbed, unquestioned, since
Edward the Third's time. I cannot bring myself to conceive it!"

"Great reverses of condition can be borne with dignity when they are not
of our own incurring," said she, with a stern and pointed significance.

"I'm afraid I cannot boast of possessing all your philosophy," said he,
touchily.

"So much the worse. You would need it, and even more, too, if all that I
have heard be true."

There was no mistaking this inference, and Beecher only hesitated
whether he should accept battle at once, or wait for another broadside.

"Not but," broke she in, "if you could assure me that the rumors were
untrue,--that _you_ have been calumniated, and I misinformed,--if, I
say, you were enabled to do this, the tidings would help greatly to
sustain me through this season of trouble."

"You must spe