ng a right to speak; his feelings and
prejudices were to be kept out of her life; but he could watch, and the
longer he watched, the more intense his interest became.

When Esther and Catherine returned from the church with their account of
Wharton's wife, their first act was to tell the story to Mr. Dudley, who
lay on his sofa and listened with keen interest.

"I suppose you meant to come back for my revolver," said he to
Catherine, whose little explosions of courage always amused him. "I
think I could almost have crawled round to see you take a shot at your
French friend as she started for you."

"Oh, no!" said Catherine modestly. "I would have given the revolver to
Mr. Wharton."

"Don't do it, Catherine! Wharton could not hit the church door with it.
Suppose he had shot you instead of the other woman!"

"Of course!" said Catherine reflectively. "He wouldn't know how to use a
revolver, would he? I suppose I ought to teach him."

"Better not!" said Mr. Dudley. "Keep him under. You may have to talk
with him one of these days, after you have settled your little
misunderstanding with his wife."

Catherine took chaff with such gravity that even Mr. Dudley could not
always make out whether she was in jest or earnest. She had a quaint,
serious way of accepting any sort of challenge and going it better, as
Strong expressed it, which left her assailants wholly in the dark. Mr.
Dudley wanted to stop any romantic nonsense between her and Wharton, but
could never quite make out whether she cared for him or not. Esther
thought not.

That evening they all hoped that Hazard would come in to tell them what
other scenes had occurred, and, under this little excitement, Mr. Dudley
felt strong enough to appear like himself, although he dared not rise
from his sofa. At about eight o'clock they were gratified. Mr. Hazard
appeared, and was received with such cordiality and intimacy as went far
to make him feel himself a member of the family.

"Thank you," said Mr. Dudley. "We have done nothing but run to the
watch-tower to see if you were coming. Tell us quickly the ghastly news.
We are prepared for the worst."

"If you read Turgenieff," replied Hazard, "you can imagine the kind of
experience we have had. I feel as though I had stolen a chapter from one
of his stories."

"No matter! Spoil it promptly! We never read any thing."

"May I have first a cup of tea, Miss Dudley? Thank you! That woman has
left a taste on my palate th