She saw something of the man's spirit, and believed that, having gone so far,--having so far told his love, he would return to his love hereafter, let the result of the Crawley trial be what it might.

But,--but, this could be no proper time for love-making.

Though Grace loved the man, as Miss Prettyman knew well,--though Grace loved the child, having allowed herself to long to call it her own, though such a marriage would be the making of Grace's fortune as those who loved her could hardly have hoped that it should ever have been made, she would certainly refuse the man, if he were to propose to her now.

She would refuse him, and then the man would be free;--free to change his mind if he thought fit.

Considering all these things, craftily in the exercise of her friendship, too cunningly, I fear, to satisfy the claims of a high morality, she resolved that the major had better not see Miss Crawley at the present moment.