don't mean that she went wrong?"

"Not till after she had left us, and seemed to be doing well in
another place; but unfortunately she was allowed to have a holiday
in the race week, and a day at the course seems to have done the
mischief. Susan can tell you all about it, if you want to know.
She was as broken-hearted as if Fanny had been her own child--much
more than the old mother herself, I fear."

"What has become of the girl?"

"Gone from bad to worse. Alas! I heard a report that she had been
seen with some of the people who appear on the race-course with
those gambling shooting-galleries, or something of that sort."

"Ah! those miserable races! They are the bane of the country. I
wish no one would go near them."

"They are a very pleasant county gathering."

"To you, mother, and such as you; but you could have your county
meeting without doing quite so much harm. If Raymond would only
withdraw his subscription."

"It would be as much as his seat is worth! Those races are the one
great event of Wil'sbro' and Backsworth, the harvest of all the
tradespeople. Besides, you know what is said of their expedience as
far as horses are concerned."

"I would sacrifice the breed of horses to prevent the evils," said