'I am afraid,' said Mr. Wingfield, diffidently, 'I am afraid he has no
power to refuse.'

'Not in such a case as this? It is his duty to put a stop to it.'

'All that is in his power he will do, no doubt, by reasoning and
remonstrance; but you must remember that your brother is of age, and if
the young lady's parents consent, Mr. Jones has no choice.'

'I could not have believed it! However, it will not come to that: it
is only the old rector's fancy. To make everything secure I will write
to my brother, and we shall soon see him here.'

'There is still an hour before post-time,' said Mr. Wingfield; 'shall I
send the children home?'

'No, poor little things, let them finish their game. Thank you for
coming to me. My aunt will, I hope, hear nothing of it. Good
evening.'

Calling an elder girl, she gave some directions; and Mr. Wingfield
watched her walking down the avenue with a light-footed but decided and
characteristic tread, expressing in every step, 'Where I am going,
there I will go, and nothing shall stop me.'

'Nonsense!' she said to herself; 'Arthur cannot be so lost to the sense
of everything becoming. Such pain cannot be in store for me! Anything
else I could bear; but this must not, cannot, shall not be. Arthur is
all I have; I cannot spare him; and to see him shipwrecked on a low-
bred designing creature would be too much misery. Impossible--so