Page 172 (1/2)

An ordeal was coree prepared

On the return of the party fro-roo to say, but did not kno to begin At last, however, she

said, "I do really think it is very unfair, but it was not his fault, he

says"

"Who?" said Rachel, dreaood Mrs Curtis, conceiving that

her pronoence; "it seems ere

mistaken in him all this ti how the land lay;

"how did you hear it?"

"You knew it, my dear child," cried her mother in accents of extreme

relief

"Only this afternoon, from Bessie Keith"

"And Fanny knew it all this tiine how she could keep it from me, but it seems Miss Williams was

resolved it should not be known Colonel Keith said he felt it rong

to go on longer withoutit, and I could not but say that it

would have been a great relief to have known it earlier"

"As far as Fanny was concerned it would," said Rachel, looking into the