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'I shall go,' said Ruby 'I'o when I please You wait, Felix, and I'll be down in a an to change her dress without giving herself a ht

'She don't come back no more here, Sir Felix,' said Mrs Pipkin, in herto me, no more than she was my poor dear husband's sister's child There ain't no blood between us, and won't be no disgrace But I'd be loth to see her on the streets'

'Then on't you let ain?'

''Cause that'd be the way to send her there You don't'You're not thinking of that It's just a bit of sport,--and then there she is, an old shoe to be chucked away, just a rag to be swept into the dust-bin I've seen scores of 'em, and I'd sooner a child of mine should die in a workus', or be starved to death But it's all nothing to the likes o' you'

'I haven't done her any haro away, and don't do her any That's Mrs Hurtle's door open You go and speak to her She can talk a deal better nor e her own affairs very well'

'Mrs Hurtle's a lady, Sir Felix, and a , and one as has seen the world' As she spoke, Mrs Hurtle came downstairs, and an introduction, after some rude fashion, was effected between her and Sir Felix Mrs Hurtle had heard often of Sir Felix Carbury, and was quite as certain as Mrs Pipkin that he did not les In a few minutes Felix found himself alone with Mrs Hurtle in her own room He had been anxious to see the woue, and doubly anxious since he had also heard of Paul's engagement with his sister It was not an hour since Paul himself had referred him to her for corroboration of his own statement

'Sir Felix Carbury,' she said, 'I aood, and are intending to do her none' It did occur to hily that this could be no affair of Mrs Hurtle's, and that he, as ainterfered with in an unjustifiable manner Aunt Pipkin wasn't even an aunt; but as Mrs Hurtle? 'Would it not be better that you should leave her to become the wife of a man who is really fond of her?'