short time Mrs.
Dennistoun was overwhelmed by that natural horror too.

"But," she said, "what do you know, what can you tell about this Mr.
Brown, Elinor? You never saw him in your life."

"I think I know what it means," said Elinor, with a sudden dark glow
of colour, which faded instantly, leaving her quite pale. She added
hurriedly, "There were some books destroyed. I cannot tell you the
rights of the story. It is too dreadful altogether, but--another was
exculpated by the date of the day he arrived at Windyhill. This must be
the reason I am called."

"The date he arrived--before your marriage, Elinor? But then they might
call me, and you need not appear."

"Not for the world, mother!" cried Elinor. The colour rose again and
faded. "Besides, you do not remember."

"Oh, I could make it out," said Mrs. Dennistoun. "It was when he came
from Scotland, and went off in the evening next day. I don't at this
moment remember what the day was, but I could make it out. It was about
a fortnight before, it was----"

"Do you remember, mother, the little calendar in the hall, and what it
marked, and what he said?"

"I remember, of course, perfectly well the little calendar in the hall.
You gave it me at Christmas, and it was always out of order, and never
kept right. But I could make it out without that."

"You must not think of it for a moment," cried Elinor, with a shudder.
There had been so many things to think of that it had scarcely occurred
to her what it was to which she had to bear witness. She told her mother
hurriedly the story of that incident, and then she added, without stopping
to take breath, "But I will not appear. I cannot appear. We must keep it
out of the papers, at every cost. Mother, do not think it dreadful of
me. I will run away with Pippo; far away, if you will not be anxious.
This is just his chance between school and college. I will take him to
Greece."

"To Greece, Elinor?" Mrs. Dennistoun cried, with almost a shriek.

"Mother, dear, it is not so very far away."

"I am not thinking how far away it is, Elinor. And leave his father's
reputation to suffer? Leave him perhaps to be ruined--by a false
charge?"

"Oh, mother," cried Elinor, starting to her feet. She was quite
unprepared for such remonstrance.

"My dear, I have not opposed you; though there have been many things I
have scarcely approved of. But, Elinor, this must not be. Run away from
the law? Allow another to suffer when you can