old you of this till I had found myself to
be successful; as you have asked me I have not liked to deceive you.
But, mother, do not speak against her if you can say nothing worse of
her than that she is poor."

"You misunderstand me, Luke."

"I hope so. I do not like to think that that objection should be made
by you."

"Of course it is an objection, but it is not the one which I meant
to make. There may be many a young lady whom it would be quite
fitting that you should wish to marry even though she had not got a
shilling. It would be much pleasanter of course that the lady should
have something, though I should never think of making any serious
objection about that. But what I should chiefly look to would be the
young lady herself, and her position in life."

"The young lady herself would certainly be the main thing," said
Luke.

"That's what I say;--the young lady herself and her position in life.
Have you made any inquiries?"

"Yes, I have;--and am almost ashamed of myself for doing so."

"I have no doubt Mrs. Ray is very respectable, but the sort of people
who are her friends are not your friends. Their most particular
friends are the farmer's family that lives near them."

"How was it then that Mrs. Cornbury took her to the party?"

"Ah, yes; I can explain that. And Mrs. Tappitt has told me how sorry
she is that people should have been deceived by what has occurred."
Luke Rowan's brow grew black as Mrs. Tappitt's name was mentioned,
but he said nothing and his mother continued her speech. "Her girls
have been very kind to Miss Ray, inviting her to walk with them and
all that sort of thing, because of her being so much alone without
any companions of her own."

"Oh, that has been it, has it? I thought she had the farmer's family
out near where she lived."

"If you choose to listen to me, Luke, I shall be obliged to you, but
if you take me up at every word in that way, of course I must leave
you." Then she paused, but as Luke said nothing she went on with
her discourse. "It was in that way that she came to know the Miss
Tappitts, and then one of them, the youngest I think, asked her to
come to the party. It was very indiscreet; but Mrs. Tappitt did not
like to go back from her daughter's word, and so the girl was allowed
to come."

"And to make the blunder pass off easily, Mrs. Cornbury was induced
to take her?"

"Mrs. Cornbury happened to be staying with her father, in whose
parish they had lived