t friend of yours, Mr. Enderby, and something came out in talk that
I wasn't exactly prepared for."

Waymark rose from his chair.

"Why didn't you tell me," pursued Mr. Woodstock, "that you were engaged
to his daughter?"

"I scarcely thought it necessary."

"Not when I told you who Ida was?"

This disclosure had been made whilst Waymark was still confined to his
bed; partly because Abraham had a difficulty in keeping the matter to
himself; partly because he thought it might help the other through his
illness. Waymark had said very little at the time, and there had been
no conversation on the matter between them since.

"I don't see that it made any difference," Waymark replied gloomily.

The old man was silent. He had been, it seemed, under a complete
delusion, and could not immediately make up his mind whether he had
indeed ground of complaint against Waymark.

"Why did Mr. Enderby call?" the latter inquired.

"Very naturally, it seems to me, to know what had become of you. He
didn't see the report in the paper, and went searching for you."

"Does Ida know of this?" he asked, after a pause, during which Waymark
had remained standing with his arms crossed on the back of the chair.

"I have never told her. Why should I have done? Perhaps now you will
believe what I insisted upon before the trial, that there had been
nothing whatever--"

He spoke irritably, and was interrupted by the other with yet more
irritation.

"Never mention that again to me as long as you live, Waymark If you do,
we shall quarrel, understand!"

"I have no more pleasure in referring to it than you have," said
Waymark, more calmly; "but I must justify myself when you attack me."

"How long has this been going on?" asked the other, after a silence.

"Some three months--perhaps more."

"Well, I think it would have been better if you'd been straightforward
about it, that's all. I don't know that I've anything more to say. We
know what we're about, and there's an end of it."

So saying, the old man went out of the room. There was a difference in
him henceforth, something which Ida noticed, though she could not
explain it. On the following day he spoke with her on a matter she was
surprised to hear him mention, her education. He had been thinking, he
said, that she ought to learn to play the piano, and be taught foreign
languages. Wouldn't she like him to find some lady who could live in
the house and teach her all these things? Ida'