n breaking the girl's
heart--"

"Which girl's heart, Uncle Barty?"

"The girl the man was to have married; when that's done she'll throw
Gibson over. You'll see. She'll refuse to give the girl a shilling.
She took the girl's brother by the hand ever so long, and then she
threw him over. And she'll throw the girl over too, and send her back
to the place she came from. And then she'll throw you over."

"According to you, she must be the most malicious old woman that ever
was allowed to live!"

"I don't think there are many to beat her, as far as malice goes. But
you'll find out for yourself. I shouldn't be surprised if she were to
tell you before long that you were to marry the niece."

"I shouldn't think that such very hard lines either," said Brooke
Burgess.

"I've no doubt you may have her if you like," said Barty, "in spite
of Mr. Gibson. Only I should recommend you to take care and get the
money first."

When Brooke went back to the house in the Close, Miss Stanbury was
quite fussy in her silence. She would have given much to have been
told something about Barty, and, above all, to have learned what
Barty had said about herself. But she was far too proud even to
mention the old man's name of her own accord. She was quite sure that
she had been abused. She guessed, probably with tolerable accuracy,
the kind of things that had been said of her, and suggested to
herself what answer Brooke would make to such accusations. But she
had resolved to cloak it all in silence, and pretended for a while
not to remember the young man's declared intention when he left the
house. "It seems odd to me," said Brooke, "that Uncle Barty should
always live alone as he does. He must have a dreary time of it."

"I don't know anything about your Uncle Barty's manner of living."

"No;--I suppose not. You and he are not friends."

"By no means, Brooke."

"He lives there all alone in that poky bank-house, and nobody ever
goes near him. I wonder whether he has any friends in the city?"

"I really cannot tell you anything about his friends. And, to tell
you the truth, Brooke, I don't want to talk about your uncle. Of
course, you can go to see him when you please, but I'd rather you
didn't tell me of your visits afterwards."

"There is nothing in the world I hate so much as a secret," said he.
He had no intention in this of animadverting upon Miss Stanbury's
secret enmity, nor had he purposed to ask any question as to her
relatio