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desertion of his wife) As for her encouraging Sir Peter in her husband's

absence, that was all nonsense Mrs Wilcox was a wo off with a laugh, but that, really,

the reports were so scandalous They actually declared that her daughter

had been seen going about with Sir Peter in the most open and shameless

manner, ever since she had been left to her own devices

Well, Mrs Wilcox could disprove that by the irrefragable logic of

facts

It was high tio quietly and

call on Miss Batchelor, and mention the facts in a casual way She would

not mention Sir Peter

So with the idea of Sir Peter in her head and a letter from Molly in

her pocket, Mrs Wilcox called on Miss Batchelor There was nothing

extraordinary in that, for the ladies were in the habit of exchanging

half-yearly visits, and Mrs Wilcox was about due

She stood a little bit in awe of a woman who took up all sorts of

dreadful subjects as easily as you take up an acquaintance, and had such

works as "The Principles of Psychology" lying about as the light

literature of her drawing-room table But Miss Batchelor was much more

nervous than her visitor, therefore Mrs Wilcox had the advantage at

once