with her, whoever tells it,' he said decidedly.
'Nothing can soften such a blow, and it is far better for her to hear it
from her father. You see,' he continued rather sadly, 'it will be a fair
division, for I have to break it to poor Blake; and I shall have tough
work with him, for he worships the ground she walks on.'

'Ay, poor fellow! I know he does. What a cruel affair it is, Mike! That
woman's deceit will go far to spoil two lives.'

But to this Michael would not agree. He said, with a great deal of
feeling, that Audrey was not the girl to let any love-affair spoil her
life; she thought too little of herself, was too considerate and
unselfish, to allow any private unhappiness to get too strong a hold
over her, and so spoil other people's lives.

'You will see what sort of stuff she has in her,' he said, with the
enthusiasm of a lover who can find no flaw at all. 'She will bear her
sorrow bravely, and not allow it to interfere with others. She is far
too good and noble. You need not fear for her; she has strength enough
for a dozen women.'

And Dr. Ross felt himself a little comforted by such words.

'Do you mind waiting up for her to-night?' he asked presently.
'Unfortunately, Emmie has sent all the servants to bed, because I said I
had some writing to do. I feel very upset about all this, and she will
find out from my manner that something is amiss. Would it bother you,
Mike? She will just come in here and warm herself; but if you tell her
you are tired, she will not detain you.'

'I can have no objection to do that,' replied Michael, trying to hide
his reluctance; and, indeed, Dr. Ross looked so pale and jaded, that
Audrey's suspicions would have been excited. 'Go to bed and get a good
night's rest; it is nearly twelve now, and they meant to be home by
one.'

Then Dr. Ross allowed himself to be persuaded.

'I don't know about the good night's rest,' he replied; 'but I should be
glad to think over the whole thing quietly before I see either of them.
There is no hurry, as you say, and perhaps you had better get your
interview over with O'Brien.'

'Shall you tell Cousin Emmeline?'

'Tell Emmie!' and here the Doctor's voice was somewhat irritable, as one
disagreeable detail opened after another. 'Not to-night, certainly. Why,
she will be asleep. No, it would never do to tell her before Audrey; it
would get round to Geraldine, and there would be the deuce of a row.
Tell the child I was tired, and bid her