nutes. Of course they knew best! But how
long have you known this, Morna?"

"Never until this afternoon; there was no reason why I should."

"Of course there was not."

"Then you agree with me, Hugh?"

And Morna was transfigured.

"Of course I agree with you! But I want to know more. Do you mean to
tell me that a woman of education and ability, who calls herself a
Christian, like Mrs. Venables, has actually backed out of this
dinner-party on this account, and asked others to do the same?"

"She certainly asked me, point-blank," said Morna. "And when I refused,
and persisted in my refusal, she flounced out in a rage, and must have
cut you dead next minute."

"Incredible!" exclaimed Woodgate. "I mean, she must have had some
further reason."

"Oh, but she had! I forgot to tell you in my anxiety to know what you
thought. She came to me straight from Normanthorpe, where they had
insulted her as she had never been insulted in her life before!"

"Who? Steel or his wife?"

"Mr. Steel, I fancy. Mrs. Venables had no name bad enough for him, but
she brought it on herself, and I think more of him than I ever did
before. You know that Mrs. Vinson, the Invernesses' new agent's wife?"

"I do. Langholm took her into dinner the night we dined at Upthorpe, and
she was in the offing yesterday when Mrs. Steel was talking to the
judge."

"Exactly! It appears that it was Mrs. Vinson who first suspected
something, the very night you mention; and yesterday her suspicions were
confirmed to her own satisfaction. At all events she felt justified in
mentioning them to Mrs. Venables, who instantly drove over to ask Rachel
to her face if there was any truth in the rumor that she was or had been
Mrs. Minchin."

"Well?"

"Rachel told her it was perfectly true."

"Good!"

"And then the fat was in the fire; but what happened exactly it was
impossible to gather from Mrs. Venables. I never saw a woman so beside
herself with rage. She came in incoherent, and went out inarticulate!
From the things she said of him, I could only guess that Mr. Steel had
come upon the scene and insulted her as she deserved to be insulted. But
I would give a good deal to know what did happen."

"Would you really?"

Morna started to her feet. The vicar rose more slowly, after sitting for
some moments in mute confusion. It was Mrs. Steel who stood before them
on their lawn, pale as death, and ten years older since the day before,
yet with a smile upon her