"Perhaps," began the poor man, his tone faltering with a terrible anxiety, but his wife exclaimed hastily--

"He never saw nor heard of it. I put it in the fire."

There was a general hush, broken by Mr. Stebbing saying slowly--

"You--put--it--in--the--fire."

"Yes; I saw those disreputable-looking boys put it into the box. I wasn"t going to have that bold girl sending billy-doos on the sly to my son."

"Under these circ.u.mstances," drily said Sir Jasper, "I presume that you will think it expedient to withdraw the prosecution."

"Certainly, certainly," said Mr. Stebbing, in the tone of one delivered from great alarm. "I will write at once to my solicitor at Avoncester."

Then turning on his wife, "How was it that I never heard this before, and you let me go and make a fool of myself?"

"How was I to know, Mr. Stebbing? You started off without a word to me, and all you told me when you came back was that the young man said he had posted the letter to his sister. I should like to know why he could not send it himself to the proper place!"

"Well, Mrs. Stebbing," said her husband, "I hope it will be a lesson to you against making free with other people"s letters."

She tossed her head, and was about to retire, when Sir Jasper said--

"Before leaving us, madam, in justice to my old friend"s daughter, I should be much obliged if you would let me know your grounds for believing the letter to be what you say."

"Why--why, Sir Jasper, it has been going on this year or more! She has perfectly infatuated the poor boy."

"I am not asking about your son"s sentiments but can you adduce any proof of their being encouraged!"

"Sir Jasper! a young man doesn"t go on in that way without encouragement."

"What encouragement can you prove?"

"Didn"t I surprise a letter from her--?"

"Well"--checked the tone of triumphant conviction.

"A refusal, yes, but we all know what that means, and that there must have been something to lead to it"--and as there was an unconvinced silence--"Besides--oh, why, every one knew of her arts. You did, Mr.

Stebbing, and of poor Frank"s infatuation. It was the reason of her dismissal."

"I knew what you told me, Mrs. Stebbing," he answered grimly, not at all inclined to support her at this moment of anger. "I am sure I wish I had never listened to you. I never saw anything amiss in the girl"s behaviour, and they are all at sixes and sevens without her at the mosaic work--though she is only absent from her mother"s illness at present."

"You! of course she would not show her goings on before you, said the lady.

"Is Master Frank in the house?" put in Mr. White; "I should like to put the question before him."

"You can"t expect a young man to make mortifying admissions," exclaimed the mother, and as she saw smiles in answer she added, "Of course, the girl has played the modest and proper throughout! That was her art, to draw him on, till he did not know what he was about."

"Setting aside the supposed purpose," said Sir Jasper, "you admit, Mrs.

Stebbing, that of your own knowledge, Miss White has never encouraged your son"s attentions."

"N--no; but we all know what those girls are."

"Fatherless and unprotected," said Sir Jasper, "dependent on their own character and exertion, and therefore in especial need of kind construction. Good morning, Mrs. Stebbing; I have learnt all that I wish to know."

Overpowered, but not convinced, Mrs. Stebbing saw her visitors depart.

"And I hope her husband will give it to her well," said Mr. White, as they left the house.

They looked in at Beechcroft Cottage with the tidings.

"All safe, I see!" cried Miss Jane. "Is the money found?"

"No; Mrs. Stebbing burnt it, under the impression that it was a love-letter," drily said Sir Jasper.

Miss Mohun led the way in the hearty fit of laughter, to which the gentlemen gave way the more heartily for recent suppression; and Mr.

White added--

"I a.s.sure you, it was as good as a play to hear Sir Jasper worm it out.

One would think he had been bred a lawyer."

"And now," said the General, "I must go and relieve that poor girl"s suspense."

"I will come with you," volunteered Mr. White. "I fully believe that she is a good girl, though this business and Master Richard"s applications staggered me; and this soldier fellow must be an a.s.s if he is not a scamp."

"Scarcely that, I think," said Miss Adelaide, with her pleading smile.

"Well, discipline will be as good for him as for his father," said Mr.

White. "He has done for himself, but that was a nice little lad that you had up--too good for a common national school."

Wherewith they departed, and found that Kalliope must have been on the watch, for she ran down to open the door to them, and the gladness which irradiated her face as Sir Jasper"s first "All right," lighted up her features, which were so unlike the shop-girl prettiness that Mr. White expected as quite to startle him.

Richard was in the parlour in a cloud of smoke, and began to do the honours.

"Our acknowledgments are truly due to Sir Jasper. Mr. White, we are much honoured. Pray be seated, please to excuse--"

They paid little attention to him, while Sir Jasper told as much to his sister as could well be explained as to the fate of her envelope, and added--

"You will not be wanted at Avoncester, as the case will not come on.

I shall go and see all safe, then on to town, but I mean to see your brother"s commanding officer, and you may tell your mother that I have no doubt that he will be allowed a furlough."

"But, Sir Jasper" broke in Richard, "I beg your pardon; but there is a family from Leeds at Bellevue, the Nortons, and imagine what it would be if they reported me as connected with a common private soldier, just out of prison too!"

"Let him come to me then," exclaimed Mr. White.

In spite of appearances of disgust, Richard took the invitation to himself, and looked amiable and gratified.

"Thank you, Mr. White, that will obviate the difficulty. When shall I move up?"

"You, sir? Did you think I meant you?" said Mr. White contemptuously.

"No; I prefer a fool to a knave!"