to be back to dinner on that day, Mrs. Bell would have an
opportunity of telling her wondrous tale. It might be well that Mr.
Beckard should see Aaron before his departure.

On that Saturday the Beckards did arrive just in time for dinner.
It may be imagined that Susan's appetite was not very keen, nor her
manner very collected. But all this passed by unobserved in the
importance attached to the various Beckard arrangements which came
under discussion. Ladies and gentlemen circumstanced as were Hetta
and Mr. Beckard are perhaps a little too apt to think that their own
affairs are paramount. But after dinner Susan vanished at once, and
when Hetta prepared to follow her, desirous of further talk about
matrimonial arrangements, her mother stopped her, and the disclosure
was made.

"Proposed to her!" said Hetta, who perhaps thought that one marriage
in a family was enough at a time.

"Yes, my love--and he did it, I must say, in a very honourable way,
telling her not to make any answer till she had spoken to me;--now
that was very nice; was it not, Phineas?" Mrs. Bell had become very
anxious that Aaron should not be voted a wolf.

"And what has been said to him since?" asked the discreet Phineas.

"Why--nothing absolutely decisive." Oh, Mrs. Bell! "You see I know
nothing as to his means."

"Nothing at all," said Hetta.