There was a noise in the house, and she never could sleep when there was a noise.

She was quite sure that she was not going down because she wished to see Hugh Stanbury, but she was equally sure that it would be a disgrace to her to be deterred from going down, simply because the man was there.

So she descended to the parlour, and was standing near the open window when Stanbury bustled into the room, some quarter of an hour after the proper time.

Priscilla was there also, guessing something of the truth, and speculating whether these two young people, should they love each other, would be the better or the worse for such love.

There must be marriages,--if only that the world might go on in accordance with the Creator's purpose.