And it all comes of Edward's foolish confidence in a stranger, that I could see, with half an eye, was not a man to be trusted." For some minutes, Miss Markland remained standing as her niece had left her, trying to make up her mind to act in some decided way for the remedy of existing troubles.
"I'll just speak to Edward plainly about this business," she at length said, with considerable warmth of manner.

"Shall I stand, with sealed lips, and witness such a sacrifice?
No--no--no!" And with nothing clearly settled or arranged in her thoughts, Aunt Grace started for the library, with the intention of speaking out plainly to her brother.

The opportunity for doing so, however, did not occur; for, on entering the library, she found it empty..