n
seen them exchange before, but had not understood; and she was
thankful that she had not!--thankful that she had been able to live so
long with Dr. Maclure without entertaining a single suspicion, without
thinking one low thought about him. It was a hopeful triumph of
cultivated nice-mindedness over the most evil communications.

When they were at dessert, the postman's knock resounded sharply. Dr.
Maclure, who had been anxiously listening for it, and was peeling a
pear for Miss Petterick at the moment, waited with the pear and the
knife upheld in his hands, watching the door till the servant entered.
She brought a letter on a salver, and was taking it to her master,
when Beth said authoritatively, "That letter is for me, Minna; bring
it here."

The girl obeyed.

Dan put down the knife and the pear. "What's yours is mine, I
thought," he observed, with a sorry affectation of cheeriness.

"Not on this occasion," Beth answered quietly, taking up the letter
and opening it as she spoke. "This happens to be peculiarly my own."

"Why, it's a cheque," he rejoined, with an affectation of surprise.
"What luck! I haven't been able to sleep for nights thinking of the
butcher's bill."

"For shame!" Beth said, bantering--"talking about bills before your
guest! But since you introduced the subject I may add that the butcher
must wait. I want this myself. I am going to stay with Mrs. Kilroy at
Ilverthorpe on Wednesday, and it will just cover my expenses."

"This is the first I have heard of the visit," Dan ejaculated.

"I only decided to go this afternoon," Beth replied.

"You decided without consulting me? Well--I'm damned if you shall go;
I shall not allow it."

"The word 'allow' is obsolete in the matrimonial dictionary, friend
Daniel," Beth rejoined good-humouredly.

"But you are bound to obey me."

"And I'm ready to obey you when you endow me with all your worldly
goods," she said; then, suddenly dropping her bantering tone, she
spoke decidedly: "I am going to stay with Mrs. Kilroy on Wednesday,
understand that at once, and do not let us have any vulgar dispute
about it."

"But you can't leave Miss Petterick here alone with me!" he
remonstrated.

"No, but she can go home," Beth answered coolly. "Her mother wants
her, you know, and I have written to tell her to expect her to-morrow.
Now, if you please, we will end the discussion."

She put the letter in her pocket, and began to crack nuts and eat
them. But Da