should be very lonesome without that."

They did not speak again until Charlotte had given a final shake to the
bed in the corner, upon which her bonnet and shawl had been lying. She
put them on neatly and primly; and when she was ready to go she spoke
again in a constrained and mysterious manner.

"Heard nothing of Susan, I suppose?" she said.

"Not a word," answered old Oliver, sadly. "It's the only trouble I've
got. That were the last passion I ever went into, and I was hot and
hasty, I know."

"So you always used to be at times," said his sister.

"Ah! but that passion was the worst of all," he went on, speaking
slowly. "I told her if she married young Raleigh, she should never darken
my doors again--never again. And she took me at my word though she might
have known it was nothing but father's hot temper. Darken my doors! Why,
the brightest sunshine I could have 'ud be to see her come smiling into
my shop, like she used to do at home."

"Well, I think Susan ought to have humbled herself," said Charlotte.
"It's going on for six years now, and she's had time enough to see her
folly. Do you know where she is?"

"I know nothing about her," he answered, shaking his head sorrowfully.
"Young Raleigh was wild, very wild, and that was my objection to him;
but I didn't mean Susan to take me at my word. I shouldn't speak so
hasty and hot now."