usual form. The obvious course was to call on Edward. Having parted from
him so lately, he forced himself to wait a few days, and then set out for
Albion Villa.

As he went along, he arranged the coming dialogue for all the parties.
Edward was to introduce him; Mrs. Dodd to recognise his friendship for
her son; he was to say he was the gainer by it; Julia, silent at first,
was to hazard a timid observation, and he to answer gracefully, and draw
her out and find how he stood in her opinion. The sprightly affair should
end by his inviting Edward to dinner. That should lead to their
uninviting him in turn, and then he should have a word with Julia, and
find out what houses she visited, and get introduced to their
proprietors. Arrived at this point, his mind went over hedge and ditch
faster than my poor pen can follow; as the crow flies, so flew he, and
had reached the church-porch under a rain of nosegays with Julia--in
imagination--by then he arrived at Albion Villa in the body. Yet he
knocked timidly; his heart beat almost as hard as his hand.

Sarah, the black-eyed housemaid, "answered the door."

"Mr. Edward Dodd?"

"Not at home, sir. Left last week."

"For long?"

"I don't rightly know, sir. But he won't be back this week, I don't
think."

"Perhaps," stammered Alfred, "the ladies--Mrs. Dodd--might be able to