ed?"

"No; that was all a mistake. Miles saw him at Natal. Herbert, this
will be life and joy to your sister. What!--you did not know about
Jenny and Archie?"

"Not I--Jenny!--poor old Joan! So that's what has stood in her way,
and made her the jolliest of old sisters, is it? Poor old Joanie!
What! was she engaged to him?"

"Yes, much against your father's liking, though he had consented. I
remember he forbade it to be spoken of,--and you were at school."

"And Joan was away nursing old Aunt Joan for two years. So Archie
went off with this charge on him, and was thought to be lost! Whew!
How did she stand it? I say, does she know he is alive?"

"No, he forbade Miles to speak. No one knows but Miles and I, and
our wives. Anne put us on the scent. Now, Herbert, I'll go to the
poor man at once, and you had better find a magistrate."

"Whom can I find?" said Herbert. "There's my father away, and
Raymond ill, and Lipscombe waved me off--wouldn't so much as speak
to me for fear I should be infectious."

"You must get a town magistrate."

"Briggs is frantic since he lost his son, and Truelove thinks he has
the fever, though Worth says it is all nonsense. There's nobody but
Whitlock. Dear old Jenny! Well, there always was something
different from other people in her, and I never guessed what it was.
I'd go to the end of the world to make her happy and get that
patient look out of her eyes."

Herbert had nearly to fulfil this offer, for Mr. Whitlock was gone
to London for the day, and magistrates were indeed scarce; but at
last, after walking two miles out of the town, his vehemence and
determination actually dragged in the unfortunate, timid justice of
the peace who had avoided him in the road, but who could not refuse
when told in strong earnest that the justification of an innocent
man depended on his doing his duty.

Poor Mr. Lipscombe! The neglected 'Three Pigeons' was just now the
worst place in all Water Lane. The little that had hastily been
done since the morning seemed to have had no effect on the foetid
atmosphere, even to Herbert's well accustomed nostrils; and what
must it have been to a stranger, in spite of the open window and all
the disinfectants? And, alas! the man had sunk into a sleep.
Julius, who still stood by him, had heard all he had to say to
relieve his mind, all quite rationally, and had been trying to show
him the need of making reparation by repeating all to a magistra