should have come to see me when he is going to take such a
journey as that. What should I have thought if I had heard
that he had gone without saying a word to me about it?
Don't you think that that would have been most unnatural?
I should have almost broken my heart when I heard that he
had started.

I do hope, therefore, that you will not be angry with
either of us. But yet I feel that I may have brought you
into trouble with papa. I do not care in the least for
Lady Kingsbury, who has no right to interfere in the
matter at all. After her conduct everything I think is
over between us. But I shall be indeed sorry if papa is
vexed; and shall feel it very much if he says anything to
you after all your great kindness to me.

Your affectionate sister,

FANNY.

"I have done one other thing to-day," said George Roden, when he was
explaining to his mother on Thursday evening all the preparations he
had made for their journey.

"What other thing?" she asked, guessing accurately, however, the
nature of the thing of which he was about to speak.

"I have seen Lady Frances Trafford."

"I thought it probable that you might endeavour to do so."

"I have done more than endeavour on this occasion. I went down to
Hendon Hall, and was shown into the drawing-room. I am sorry for
Hampstead's sake, but it was impossible for me not to do so."

"Why sorry for his sake?" she asked.

"Because he had pledged himself to his father that I should not do
so. He clearly had no right to make such a pledge. I could not bind
myself to an assurance by keeping which I might seem to show myself
to be indifferent. A girl may bind herself by such a promise, but
hardly a man. Had I made the promise I almost think I must have
broken it. I did not make it, and therefore I have no sin to confess.
But I fear I shall have done him a mischief with his father."

"And what did she say, George?"

"Oh; just the old story, mother, I suppose. What she said was what I
knew just as well before I went there. But yet it was necessary that
I should hear what she had to say;--and as necessary I think that she
should hear me."

"Quite as necessary, I am sure," said his mother kissing his
forehead.

CHAPTER XIV.

MR. GREENWOOD'S FEELINGS.

On that Wednesday night Mr. Greenwood did not sleep much. It may be
doubted whether he once closed his eyes in slumber. He had indeed
been saved from the perfor