"I don't want anybody to tell me," she said, "that when a young woman is parted from her husband, the chances are ten to one that she has been very foolish." "But what's a woman to do, if her husband beats her ?" said Mrs.
Crumbie.
"Beat him again," said Mrs.MacHugh.
"And the husband will be sure to have the worst of it," said Mr.
Crumbie.

"Well, I declare, if you haven't turned up an honour again, Miss Stanbury!" "It was your wife that cut it to me, Mr.Crumbie." Then they were again at once immersed in the play, and the name neither of Trevelyan nor Osborne was heard till Miss Stanbury was marking her double under the candlestick; but during all pauses in the game the conversation went back to the same topic, and when the rubber was over they who had been playing it lost themselves for ten minutes in the allurements of the interesting subject.

It was so singular a coincidence that the lady should have gone to Nuncombe Putney of all villages in England, and to the house of Mrs.Stanbury of all ladies in England.

And then was she innocent, or was she guilty; and if guilty, in what degree?
That she had been allowed to bring her baby with her was considered to be a great point in her favour.

Mr.
Crumbie's opinion was that it was "only a few words." Mrs.Crumbie was afraid that she had been a little light.