or dear!) And I thought he was
really fond of me. I thought so because he was so cross and queer. He's
like that, you know. And, after all, it was not that that made him cross
and queer. It was just because he was as good as engaged to Lilian, and
he didn't like to tell me. And I never knew. How could I guess? I'd
never heard there was anything between him and Lilian. And besides,
although he was cross and queer, he said things to me that he oughtn't
to have said, considering how he was carrying on with Lilian. It was
then that I settled on coming to Bursley. There was no _reason_ why I
should stay in Longshaw. I saw him again in Longshaw, _after_ he was
engaged to Lilian, and yet he never told me! And then, when I come here,
the first thing I hear is that he's engaged to Lilian. It was that
afternoon when Sarah called; do you remember, uncle?"

He remembered.

"I saw Mr. Dean that night, and somehow I told him what I thought of
him. I don't know how it began; but I did. He said he couldn't help
being engaged to Lilian. He said it was one of those engagements that go
on by themselves, and you can't stop them. He wanted to stop it. But he
was engaged before he knew where he was--so he says. He said he
preferred me, and if he'd known--So of course I was obliged to be very
angry with him. That was why I didn't speak to him at first at Mrs.
Prockter's; at least, that was partly why. The other reason was that he
had accused me of running after Emanuel--of all people! I had been, you
know. But what had that got to do with Andrew, seeing that he was
engaged to Lilian? Besides, I'd been doing it on purpose. And he was so
_insolent_. And then, to crown all, Mrs. Prockter makes me dance with
him. No wonder I fainted! He is the rudest, _rudest_, crudest man I ever
knew."

She wiped her eyes.

"H'm!" mused James.

"He'll simply kill poor little Lilian!" She sobbed.

"What's that got to do with you, if you and Emanuel has got nothing to
do with him? It isn't you as'll be hung when Lilian's murdered."

"Can't you see he mustn't marry Lilian?" Helen burst out. "Silly little
thing! How can she understand him? She's miles beneath him."

"Is there anybody as does understand him?" James asked.

"I do," said she. "And that's flat. And I've got to marry him, and you
must help me. I wanted to tell you, and now I've told you. Don't you
think I've done right in being quite open with you? Most girls are so
foolish in these things. Bu