n as certain as ever, even though the
public-house was licensed, or Frank did fall away. This was the
teaching of experience; but aunt Cecilia did not utter it, for that
was not her way. As for Miss Dora, she agreed in all the colporteur's
sentiments, and thought them beautiful, as Leonora said, and was not
much disturbed by any opinion of her own, expressed or unexpressed,
but interspersed her breakfast with little sighing ejaculations of the
temptations of the world, and how little one knew what was passing
around one, and "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he
fall," which could not have failed to attract Miss Leonora's
attention, and draw forth the whole story of her sister's suspicions,
had not that quick-witted iron-grey woman been, as we have already
mentioned, too deeply engaged. Perhaps her nephew's imaginary
backsliding might have excited even Miss Leonora to an interest deeper
than that which was awakened by the new gin-palace; but as it
happened, it was the humbler intelligence alone which occupied itself
with the supposed domestic calamity. Miss Dora's breakfast was
affected by it in a way which did not appear in the morning meal of
her sister; for somehow the most fervent love of souls seldom takes
away the appetite, as the love of some unlucky individual occasionally
does.

When breakfast was over, Miss Dora made a very elaborate excuse for
going out by herself. She wanted to match some wool for a blanket she
was making, "For Louisa's baby," the devoted aunt said, with a little
tremor. "Poor Louisa! if Gerald were to go any further, you know, it
would be so sad for her; and one would like to help to keep up her
heart, poor dear, as much as one could."

"By means of a blanket for the bassinet in scarlet and white," said
Miss Leonora; "but it's quite the kind of comfort for Louisa. I wonder
if she ever had the smallest inkling what kind of a husband she has
got. I don't think Frank is far wrong about Gerald, though I don't pin
my faith to my nephew's judgment. I daresay he'll go mad or do worse
with all those crotchets of his--but what he married Louisa for has
always been a mystery to me."

"I suppose because he was very fond of her," suggested Miss Dora, with
humility.

"But why was he fond of her?--a goose!" said the strong-minded sister,
and so went about her letter-writing without further comment, leaving
aunt Dora to pursue her independent career. It was with a feeling of
relief, a