days they went away. It was, I think, their father's wish that
they should go. And I too was going away,--and had felt, indeed,
directly her spirit had parted from her, that I was only in the
way in his house. But I stayed at his request, because he did not
wish his daughter to be alone.'

'I can easily understand that, Mrs Finn.'

'I wanted her to go to Lady Cantrip who had invited her, but she
would not. In that way we were thrown together in the closest
intercourse. For two or three weeks. Then she told me the story of
your engagement.'

'That was natural, I suppose.'

'Surely so. Think of her position, left without a mother! It was
incumbent on her to tell someone. There was, however, one other
person in whom it would have been much better that she should have
confided.'

'What person?'

'Her father.'

'I rather fancy that it is I who ought to tell him.'

'As far as I understand things, Mr Tregear,--which, indeed, is very
imperfectly,--I think it is natural that a girl should at once tell
her mother when a gentleman has made her understand that he loves
her.'