dy Mason repeated. She meant nothing; it was
nothing to her who the people were. If one said it now, all would
soon be saying it. But she uttered the words because she felt herself
forced to say something, and the power of thinking what she might
best say was almost taken away from her.

"I am sure I don't know where it came from," said Mrs. Arkwright;
"but I would not have alluded to it if I had not thought that of
course you had heard it. I am very sorry if my saying it has vexed
you."

"Oh, no," said Lady Mason, trying to smile.

"As I said before, we all know that there is nothing in it; and your
having the pony chaise just at this time will make everybody see that
you are quite comfortable yourself."

"Thank you, yes; good-bye, Mrs. Arkwright." And then she made a great
effort, feeling aware that she was betraying herself, and that it
behoved her to say something which might remove the suspicion which
her emotion must have created. "The very name of that lawsuit is so
dreadful to me that I can hardly bear it. The memory of it is so
terrible to me, that even my enemies would hardly wish that it should
commence again."

"Of course it is merely a report," said Mrs. Arkwright, almost
trembling at what she had done.

"That is all--at least I believe so. I had heard myself that some
such threat had been made, but I did not think that any tidings of it
had got abroad."

"It was Mrs. Whiting told me. She is a great busybody, you know."
Mrs. Whiting was the wife of the present doctor.

"Dear Mrs. Arkwright, it does not matter in the least. Of course I
do not expect that people should hold their tongue on my account.
Good-bye, Mrs. Arkwright." And then she got into the little carriage,
and did contrive to drive herself home to Orley Farm.

"Dear, dear, dear, dear!" said Mrs. Arkwright to herself when she was
left alone. "Only to think of that; that she should be knocked in a
heap by a few words--in a moment, as we may say." And then she began
to consider of the matter. "I wonder what there is in it! There must
be something, or she would never have looked so like a ghost. What
will they do if Orley Farm is taken away from them after all!" And
then Mrs. Arkwright hurried out on her daily little toddle through
the town, that she might talk about and be talked to on the same
subject. She was by no means an ill-natured woman, nor was she at
all inclined to direct against Lady Mason any slight amount of venom
which mi