sgust at
these proceedings, 'Ah, Constance! three years or so, and you will be
doing just the same. I have another nephew coming out next month, and a
fine fellow he is said to be. You'll be just as foolish.' 'You'll see
me boiled first!' said Constance, with a vehemence which startled her
aunt Harriett, and brought down a serious rebuke, though she herself
thought the young people rather ridiculous, to use Peggy's phrase. But
I know very well that one great reason for Emily's fancy for Edgar is
her wish to call Elsie and myself aunt and uncle. I think it likely
that that weighed with you, Mrs. Lowrie."

"None of your nonsense, Mr. Brandon," said Peggy. "Who would care to be
connected with an old woman like me?" and yet she was pleased with
Brandon's remark, notwithstanding.

"Well, joking apart, I think it is really a great thing for a girl to
marry into a family where they are prepared to love her, and to put the
most charitable construction on all she does and all she does not do,"
said Brandon.

"But, Mr. Hogarth," said Mr. Dempster, "you promised at this family
party to tell me the whole story of which I have got some separate
threads. You recollect that we had some curious revelations one evening
at a seance at my house in London. Shortly after I returned to
Adelaide, I met in a wayside inn an old woman whom I took to be your
mother, who entered into conversation with me; but as the spiritual
directions had been to have nothing to do with her, I did not inquire
sufficiently to get much information from her. Some time after that, I
heard of your giving up your property in Scotland, sailing for
Australia, marrying your cousin, and settling here; but what connection
these three things have with each other, I never knew. Will you be good
enough to explain?"

"The spirit was in the wrong on that occasion in two important
particulars. The letter I had in my pocket was from Mrs. Peck, but she
was not my mother; Mr. Hogarth was not my father," said Francis.

"Not your mother! not your father!" said Mr. Dempster; "can you prove
that?"

"No; but I am quite convinced of it," said Francis.

"I would believe the spirits always, if I had no positive proof to the
contrary," said Mr. Dempster.

"Mrs. Peck confessed to Brandon that as her own child died suddenly she
had picked up another, with the view of imposing on Mr. Hogarth and
getting a handsome allowance from him; but when he saw me he preferred
keeping me out of