it,--and yet it was essential for her happiness that he should be
there. At the present moment Miss Stanbury's intense interest in the
Stanbury wedding was somewhat mitigated by the excitement occasioned
by Mr. Gibson's refusal to be married. Dorothy was so shocked that
she could not bring herself to believe the statement that had reached
them through Martha.

"Of course he was engaged to her. We all knew that," said Miss
Stanbury.

"I think there must have been some mistake," said Dorothy. "I don't
see how he could do it."

"There is no knowing what people can do, my dear, when they're hard
driven. I suppose we shall have a lawsuit now, and he'll have to pay
ever so much money. Well, well, well! see what a deal of trouble you
might have saved!"

"But he'd have done the same to me, aunt;--only, you know, I never
could have taken him. Isn't it better as it is, aunt? Tell me."

"I suppose young women always think it best when they can get their
own ways. An old woman like me has only got to do what she is bid."

"But this was best, aunt;--was it not?"

"My dear, you've had your way, and let that be enough. Poor Camilla
French is not allowed to have hers at all. Dear, dear, dear! I didn't
think the man would ever have been such a fool to begin with;--or
that he would ever have had the heart to get out of it afterwards."
It astonished Dorothy to find that her aunt was not loud in
reprobation of Mr. Gibson's very dreadful conduct.

In the meantime Mrs. French had written to her brother at Gloucester.
The maid-servant, in making Miss Camilla's bed, and in "putting the
room to rights," as she called it,--which description probably was
intended to cover the circumstances of an accurate search,--had
discovered, hidden among some linen,--a carving knife! such a
knife as is used for the cutting up of fowls; and, after two days'
interval, had imparted the discovery to Mrs. French. Instant visit
was made to the pantry, and it was found that a very aged but
unbroken and sharply-pointed weapon was missing. Mrs. French at once
accused Camilla, and Camilla, after some hesitation, admitted that
it might be there. Molly, she said, was a nasty, sly, wicked thing,
to go looking in her drawers, and she would never leave anything
unlocked again. The knife, she declared, had been taken up-stairs,
because she had wanted something very sharp to cut,--the bones of
her stays. The knife was given up, but Mrs. French thought it best
to wr