possessing them; they were of unknown value, indifferent to her,
indeed, until she became aware of the practical use that might be
made of them. Like most narrow-minded girls, she became a shrewd
reader of character, when her affections and interests were
concerned, and could calculate Julian's motives, and the course
wherein they would lead him, with much precision. She knew too well
that he did not care for her in the way she desired, but at the same
time she knew that he was capable of making almost any sacrifice to
spare her humiliation and trouble, especially if he felt that her
unhappiness was in any way caused by himself.

Thus it came about that, on the Tuesday evening of the ensuing week,
Julian was startled by his landlady's announcing another visit from
Miss Smales. Harriet came into the room with a veil over her face,
and sank on a chair, sobbing. What she had feared had come to pass.
The lodger had told Mrs. Ogle of what had taken place in her absence
on the Sunday afternoon, and Harriet had received notice that she
must find another place at once. Mrs. Ogle was a woman of severe
virtue, and would not endure the suspicion of wrong-doing under her
roof. To whom could she come for advice and help, but to Julian?

Julian was overwhelmed. His perfectly sincere nature was incapable
of suspecting a far more palpable fraud. He started up with the
intention of going forthwith to Gray's Inn Road, but Harriet clung
to him and held him back. The idea was vain. The lodger, Miss Mould,
had long entertained a spite against her, Harriet said, and had so
exaggerated this story in relating it to Mrs. Ogle, that the latter,
and her husband, had declared that Casti should not as much as put
foot in their shop again.