his daughter in any way, gave her to understand that he was
particularly desirous that she should give Hazelton a favorable reply.

Under ordinary circumstances Mary would have had no hesitation in
refusing to have anything to say to Hazelton, but for some time
rumor had been busy circulating scandal concerning herself and
Grandison, and, as she was at that moment not in a condition to bear
scrutiny, she was afraid to awaken suspicion by refusing Hazelton's
offer, and so he was made the "happiest of men" (?)

A short time after Miss Sedley had become engaged to Mr. Hazelton
she went with her father and mother to Cacouna, where they had a
summer residence. By a strange coincidence, Grandison also chose
Cacouna at which to spend his holidays, and combined business with
pleasure by giving occasional concerts at the St. Lawrence Hall,
which hotel had just been erected, and was the fashionable resort of
those people from Montreal and Quebec who could manage to exchange
the heated atmosphere of these cities for the more bracing air of
Canada's popular watering place. Mr. Hazelton was unable to leave
Montreal, and Mrs. Grandison was not disposed to accompany her
husband, even if he could have afforded to take her, in fact, the
poor woman, feeling that she was a burden and drag on her husband,
had taken to drinking, and had gradually removed herself still
further from the pale of fashionable society. Her house (which was
situated in a back street in Montreal) was not only untidy, but
positively dirty, and her children ran about the streets unclad
uneducated, and uncared for.

The Sedleys had not been long at Cacouna when one morning the old
gentleman walking out, as was his wont, before breakfast, saw