not hesitate much to express his doubt. And, indeed, it caused no
gloom. For there was little love in the attentions the Mortimers paid
him; and in what other hope could Hesper have married, than that one
day she would be free, with a freedom informed with power, the power of
money! But to the mother's suggestions as to possible changes in the
future, the daughter never responded: she had no thought of plans in
common with her.

Strange rumors came abroad. Godfrey Wardour heard something of them,
and laughed them to scorn. There was a conspiracy in that house to ruin
the character of the loveliest woman in creation! But when a week after
week passed, and he heard nothing of or from her, he became anxious,
and at last lowered his pride so far as to call on Mary, under the
pretense of buying something in the shop.

His troubled look filled her with sympathy, but she could not help
being glad afresh that he had escaped the snares laid for him. He
looked at her searchingly, and at last murmured a request that she
would allow him to have a little conversation with her.

She led the way to her parlor, closed the door, and asked him to take a
seat. But Godfrey was too proud or too agitated to sit.

"You will be surprised to see me on such an errand, Miss Marston!" he
said.

"I do not yet know your errand," replied Mary; "but I may not be so
much surprised as you think."

"Do not imagine," said Godfrey, stiffly, "that I believe a word of the
contemptible reports in circulation. I come only to ask you to tell me
the real nature of the accusations brought against Miss Yolland: your
name is, of course, coupled with them."

"Mr. Wardour," said Mary, "if I thought you would believe what I told
yon, I would willingly do as you ask me. As it is, allow me to refer
you to Mr. Brett, the lawyer, whom I dare say you know."

Happily, the character of Mr. Brett was well known in Testbridge and
all the country round; and from him Godfrey Wardour learned what sent
him traveling on the Continent again--not in the hope of finding Sepia.
What became of her, none of her family ever learned.

Some time after, it came out that the same night on which the presence
of Joseph rescued Mary from her pursuer, a man speaking with a foreign
accent went to one of the surgeons in Testbridge to have his shoulder
set, which he said had been dislocated by a fall. When Joseph heard it,
he smiled, and thought he knew what it meant.

Hesper was no so