etty
Sessions, and was a commonplace case of disorderly conduct, in which a
man was sent to prison for seven days for breaking windows in that town.

'Well?' said Joshua.

'It happened during an evening that I was in the street; and the offender
is our father.'

'Not--how--I sent him more money on his promising to stay in Canada?'

'He is home, safe enough.' Cornelius in the same gloomy tone gave the
remainder of his information. He had witnessed the scene, unobserved of
his father, and had heard him say that he was on his way to see his
daughter, who was going to marry a rich gentleman. The only good fortune
attending the untoward incident was that the millwright's name had been
printed as Joshua Alborough.

'Beaten! We are to be beaten on the eve of our expected victory!' said
the elder brother. 'How did he guess that Rosa was likely to marry? Good
Heaven Cornelius, you seem doomed to bring bad news always, do you not!'

'I do,' said Cornelius. 'Poor Rosa!'

It was almost in tears, so great was their heart-sickness and shame, that
the brothers walked the remainder of the way to Joshua's dwelling. In
the evening they set out to meet Rosa, bringing her to the village in a
fly; and when she had come into the house, and was sitting down with
them, they almost forgot their secret anxiety in contemplating her, who
knew nothing about it.

Next day the Fellmers came, and the two or three days after that were a
lively time. That the squire was yielding to his impulses--making up his
mind--there could be no doubt. On Sunday Cornelius read the lessons, and
Joshua preached. Mrs. Fellmer was quite maternal towards Rosa, and it
appeared that she had decided to welcome the inevitable with a good
grace. The pretty girl was to spend yet another afternoon with the elder
lady, superintending some parish treat at the house in observance of
Christmas, and afterwards to stay on to dinner, her brothers to fetch her
in the evening. They were also invited to dine, but they could not
accept owing to an engagement.

The engagement was of a sombre sort. They were going to meet their
father, who would that day be released from Fountall Gaol, and try to
persuade him to keep away from Narrobourne. Every exertion was to be
made to get him back to Canada, to his old home in the Midlands--anywhere,
so that he would not impinge disastrously upon their courses, and blast
their sister's prospects of the auspicious marriage which