must be taken
much more serious in its importance, and occupying a considerable time.
He, Peacocke, must go again to Missouri and find out all the truth. The
Doctor was of opinion that if this were resolved upon, and that if the
whole truth were at once proclaimed, then Mr. Peacocke need not hesitate
to pay Robert Lefroy for any information which might assist him in his
search. "While you are gone," continued the Doctor almost wildly, "let
bishops and Stantiloups and Puddicombes say what they may, she shall
remain here. To say that she will be happy is of course vain. There can
be no happiness for her till this has been put right. But she will be
safe; and here, at my hand, she will, I think, be free from insult. What
better is there to be done?"

"There can be nothing better," said Peacocke drawing his breath,--as
though a gleam of light had shone in upon him.

"I had not meant to have spoken to you of this till to-morrow. I should
not have done so, but that Pritchett had been with me. But the more I
thought of it, the more sure I became that you could not both
remain,--till something had been done; till something had been done."

"I was sure of it, Dr. Wortle."

"Mr. Puddicombe saw that it was so. Mr. Puddicombe is not all the world
to me by any means, but he is a man of common sense. I will be frank with
you. My wife said that it could not be so."

"She shall not stay. Mrs. Wortle shall not be annoyed."

"You don't see it yet," said the Doctor. "But you do. I know you do.
And she shall stay. The house shall be hers, as her residence, for the
next six months. As for money----"

"I have got what will do for that, I think."

"If she wants money she shall have what she wants. There is nothing I
will not do for you in your trouble,--except that you may not both be here
together till I shall have shaken hands with her as Mrs. Peacocke in very
truth."

It was settled that Mr. Peacocke should not go again into the school, or
Mrs. Peacocke among the boys, till he should have gone to America and have
come back. It was explained in the school by the Doctor early,--for the
Doctor must now take the morning school himself,--that circumstances of
very grave import made it necessary that Mr. Peacocke should start at once
for America. That the tidings which had been published at the Lamb would
reach the boys, was more than probable. Nay; was it not certain? It
would of course reach all the boys' parent