n, nor waste away visibly; but she passed hours crying alone in her own room, or sitting idle-handed, whilst her thoughts languidly retraced the past

ng no suspicion that young Errington's marriage could

ately after receiving the first newspaper

or amazement predominated in his mind, on first reading the paragraph which Mrs. Errington had so complacently ma

mortifications. But many other stinging thoughts rankled in his mind. David Powell had been right! That was almost unendurable. As to Rhoda, old Max could not, in the mood he was then in, contemplate her being bowed down by grief and disappointment. He would have her raise her head, and revenge herself on her faithle

e wanted to see his enemy in the dust, and that his enemy should be seen there by others. In the midst of his reading, he suddenly recollected the acknowledgment he held of Algernon's debt to him, and jumped up and ran to his strong-box to feast

g from the "Blue Bell," an

," said Betty Grimshaw to her nephew James. "But I never see anybody's face such a colour o

cause any particular surprise. He had business transactions to discuss with his son Seth, to whom he had advanced m

r father. Did he, or did he not, know the news from Westmoreland? It had only come to Duckw

that journal before leaving home, placing it in the heart of the kitchen fire, and holding it ther

ed to Miss Rhoda Maxfield, High Street, Whitford. And this he pulled out almost immediately on seeing Rhoda. A glance at her face sufficed to show h

ad by his daughter; indeed, she hardly raised h

us credit," said Mrs. Seth. "Why or wherefore I don't k

the letter he handed to her. Rhoda was grateful for this forbearance on her father's part, although it fluttered her,

word of allusion to the Erringtons in the letter. Minnie only said, "Mamma and I remember that your cheeks had lost their roses, somewhat, when we left Whitford. And we think that a breath of sea-breeze may blow them back again. It is some time si

ith her at the seaside, and had enabled her to endure the girl's daily presence, and to stand her fr

d Powell, she must do so at some cost of self-sacrifice. The only efficacious thing she could do for Rhoda was to take her away from Whitford scenes and Whitford people for a time; to take her out of the reach of gossiping tongues and unsympathising eyes, and to give her the support of a friendl

what they say, and by what they feel than by what they do. Only when meaning and feeling harmoniously inform the dry husk of words and deeds, can we bring our hearts to receive the latter thankfully, however kind they may sound or seem to uninterested spectat

odkin's kindness; having only a dim consciousness that Miss Bodkin's kindness was prompted

th bustled out of the room, saying that she must get ready "a snack of something" fo

ure to behold, being considerably mingled with malicious triumph. Here was a well-timed circumstance indeed! What could Powell, or such as Powell, say now? Let the Erringtons be

s; very pretty indeed." He did not allow his voice to express

d of Miss Minnie, and of dear Mrs. Bodkin; wonderfu

dle nonsense. Of course you will go. I s

lly don't want change. I don't c

him, as he saw the tears begin to gather in her eyes, "I am not chiding you, Rhoda. But it will be good for you to accept this call from your kind friends. It will be good for mind and body. You will be quiet there, among fresh scenes

into her heart. Still she reflected, a day must come when she would have to face Miss Minnie, and all the other Whitford people who knew her. There was no chance of her dying at once and being taken away from it all! And Rhoda's teaching had made her shrink from the thought of desiring death, as from something vaguely wicked. On the whole, it might be the best thing for her to go

r line of conduct, but by way of reconciling herself to the line of conduct she should be compelled to take.

she answered meekly

urning to Whitford at all, as a cross road could be reached from Duckwell, where the coach would stop to pick up passengers. "If there's

already fit for a princess. Nevertheless there did arrive from Whitford several fresh additions to Rhoda's wardrobe, inclosed in a br

l," said Mrs. Seth to her husband, as they stood wa

grunt

le ones will never be a penny the better for your fathe

e farm. If he does that, we mustn't growl too much. 'Tis a good lump o' money. And it would come a deal handier to me if I could ha

nger an inmate of her father's house, the old sitting-room decorated and re-furnished very smartly, and all the circle with whom she had become acquainted at Dr. Bodkin's on the tiptoe of expectation to