"A girl! God bless my soul!" said Sir Lionel, thoughtfully. "And does
she know about this--this--melancholy business?"

"I deemed it my duty to tell her, Sir Lionel," said Miss Plympton,
gravely.

"I don't know about that. I don't--know--about--that," said Sir Lionel,
pursing up his lips and frowning. "Best wait a while; but too late now,
and the mischief's done. Well, and how did she take it?"

"Nobly, Sir Lionel. At first she was quite crushed, but afterward
rallied under it. But she could not remain with me any longer, and
insisted on going home--as she called it--to Dalton Hall."

"Dalton Hall! Yes--well? Poor girl! poor little girl!--an orphan.
Dalton Hall! Well?"

"And now I come to the real purpose of my visit," said Miss Plympton;
and thereupon she went on to give him a minute and detailed account of
their arrival at Dalton and the reception there, together with the
subsequent events.

To all this Sir Lionel listened without one word of any kind, and at
length Miss Plympton ended.

"Well, madam," said he, "it may surprise you that I have not made any
comments on your astonishing story. If it had been less serious I might
have done so. I might even have indulged in profane language--a habit,
madam, which, I am sorry to say, I have acquired from not frequenting