!"

"Nora," said Hannah, speaking for the first time in many minutes, and
looking very grave, "she has something to tell, and we had better let
her tell it."

"Very well, then! I'm agreed! Go on, Mrs. Jones!"

"Hem-m-m!" began Mrs. Jones, loudly clearing her throat. "Now I'll tell
you, jest as I got it, this arternoon, first from Uncle Jovial, and then
from Mrs. Spicer, and then from Madam Brudenell herself, and last of all
from my own precious eyesight! 'Pears like Mr. Herman Brudenell fell in
long o' this Lady Hurl-my-soul--Hurt-me-so, I mean,--while he was out
yonder in forring parts. And 'pears she was a very great lady indeed,
and a beautiful young widder besides. So she and Mr. Brudenell, they
fell in love long of each other. But law, you see her kinfolks was
bitter agin her a-marrying of him--which they called him a commoner, as
isn't true, you know, 'cause he is not one of the common sort at
all--though I s'pose they being so high, looked down upon him as sich.
Well, anyways, they was as bitter against her marrying of him, as his
kinsfolks would be agin him a-marrying of you. And, to be sure, being of
a widder, she a-done as she pleased, only she didn't want to give no
offense to her old father, who was very rich and very proud of her, who
was his onliest child he ever had in the world; so to make a long
rigamarole short, they runned away, so they did, Mr. Brudenell and her,
and they got married private, and never let the old man know it long as
ever he lived--"

"Hannah! what is she talking about?" gasped Nora, who heard the words,
but could not take in the sense of this story.

"Hush! I do not know yet, myself; there is some mistake! listen,"
whispered Hannah, putting her arms over her young sister's shoulders,
for Nora was then seated on the floor beside Hannah's chair, with her
head upon Hannah's lap. Mrs. Jones went straight on.

"And so that was easy enough, too; as soon arter they was married, Mr.
Herman Brudenell, you know, he was a-coming of age, and so he had to be
home to do business long of his guardeens, and take possession of his
'states and so on; and so he come, and kept his birthday last April!
And--"

"Hannah! Hannah! what does this all mean? It cannot be true! I know it
is not true! And yet, oh, Heaven! every word she speaks goes through my
heart like a red hot spear! Woman! do you mean to say that Mr.--Mr.
Herman Brudenell left a wife in Europe when he came back here?" cried
Nora, cl