Mary, a thousand times, the most cruel of girls,
and swore her to secrecy by a hundred oaths, and ended by declaring
that the girl who could betray her friend's love, even to a brother,
would be as black a traitor as a soldier in a garrison who should
open the city gates to the enemy. While they were yet discussing the
matter, Bold returned, and Eleanor was forced into sudden action: she
had either to accomplish or abandon her plan; and having slipped into
her friend's bedroom, as the gentleman closed the hall door, she
washed the marks of tears from her eyes, and resolved within herself
to go through with it. "Tell him I am here," said she, "and coming
in; and mind, whatever you do, don't leave us." So Mary informed her
brother, with a somewhat sombre air, that Miss Harding was in the next
room, and was coming to speak to him.

Eleanor was certainly thinking more of her father than herself, as she
arranged her hair before the glass, and removed the traces of sorrow
from her face; and yet I should be untrue if I said that she was not
anxious to appear well before her lover: why else was she so sedulous
with that stubborn curl that would rebel against her hand, and smooth
so eagerly her ruffled ribands? why else did she damp her eyes to
dispel the redness, and bite her pretty lips to bring back the colour?
Of course she was anxious to look her best, for she was but a mortal
angel after all. But had she been immortal, had she flitted back to
the sitting-room on a cherub's wings, she could not have had a more
faithful heart, or a truer wish to save her father at any cost to
herself.

John Bold had not met her since the day when she left him in dudgeon
in the cathedral close. Since then his whole time had been occupied
in promoting the cause against her father, and not unsuccessfully.
He had often thought of her, and turned over in his mind a hundred
schemes for showing her how disinterested was his love. He would
write to her and beseech her not to allow the performance of a public
duty to injure him in her estimation; he would write to Mr Harding,
explain all his views, and boldly claim the warden's daughter, urging
that the untoward circumstances between them need be no bar to their
ancient friendship, or to a closer tie; he would throw himself on his
knees before his mistress; he would wait and marry the daughter when
the father has lost his home and his income; he would give up the
lawsuit and go to Australia,