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"But why did she refuse him?" he wished he knew, and ere he slept he

had resolved to study Anna Ruthven closely, and ascertain, if

possible, the hton

The next day brought the Hetherton party, all but Lucy Harcourt, who,

Fanny laughingly said, was just now suffering froyman on the

brain, and, as a certain cure for the disease, had turnedthe pretty patroness to all Mr Leighton's

parishioners, especially a Widow Hobbs, whoe, and to whose ragged children she had sent a

bundle of cast-off party dresses; and the tears ran down Fanny's

cheeks as she described the appearance of the elder Hobbs, who came to

church with a soiled pink silk skirt, her black, tattered petticoat

hanging down below and one of Lucy's opera hoods upon her head

"And the clergyman on the brain? Does he appreciate the situation? I

have an interest there He is an old friend of s asked

He had been an a

old wo

her children in party dresses His opinion of Lucy, as she had said,

was that she was a pretty, but frivolous, plaything, and it showed

upon his face as he asked the question he did, watching Anna furtively