resisting powers
would as certainly follow. I am not ignorant that old Mr. Ablewhite has
the reputation generally (especially among his inferiors) of being a
remarkably good-natured man. According to my observation of him, he
deserves his reputation as long as he has his own way, and not a moment
longer.

The next day, exactly as I had foreseen, Aunt Ablewhite was as near to
being astonished as her nature would permit, by the sudden appearance
of her husband. He had barely been a minute in the house, before he was
followed, to MY astonishment this time, by an unexpected complication in
the shape of Mr. Bruff.

I never remember feeling the presence of the lawyer to be more unwelcome
than I felt it at that moment. He looked ready for anything in the way
of an obstructive proceeding--capable even of keeping the peace with
Rachel for one of the combatants!

"This is a pleasant surprise, sir," said Mr. Ablewhite, addressing
himself with his deceptive cordiality to Mr. Bruff. "When I left your
office yesterday, I didn't expect to have the honour of seeing you at
Brighton to-day."

"I turned over our conversation in my mind, after you had gone," replied
Mr. Bruff. "And it occurred to me that I might perhaps be of some use
on this occasion. I was just in time to catch the train, and I had no
opportunity of discovering the carriage in which you were travelling."

Having given that explanation, he seated himself by Rachel. I retired
modestly to a corner--with Miss Jane Ann Stamper on my lap, in case of
emergency. My aunt sat at the window; placidly fanning herself as usual.
Mr. Ablewhite stood up in the middle of the room, with his bald head
much pinker than I had ever seen it yet, and addressed himself in the
most affectionate manner to his niece.

"Rachel, my dear," he said, "I have heard some very extraordinary news
from Godfrey. And I am here to inquire about it. You have a sitting-room
of your own in this house. Will you honour me by showing me the way to
it?"

Rachel never moved. Whether she was determined to bring matters to a
crisis, or whether she was prompted by some private sign from Mr. Bruff,
is more than I can tell. She declined doing old Mr. Ablewhite the honour
of conducting him into her sitting-room.

"Whatever you wish to say to me," she answered, "can be said here--in
the presence of my relatives, and in the presence" (she looked at Mr.
Bruff) "of my mother's trusted old friend."

"Just as you pleas