I suppose you are engaged to be married ?" "Yes," answered the girl; "but if he knew of this he never, never would marry me." "If he did not," said Mrs.Brenton, "he would not be worthy of you.

But he shall know nothing about it.

You will promise to come here and see me with him, will you not ?" "Yes, madam," said the girl.
"Then good-bye, until I see you again." Mrs.Brenton sat for a long time thinking over this confession.

It took her some time to recover her usual self-possession, because for a moment she had thought the girl was going to confess that she committed murder.
In comparison with that awful crime, the theft seemed so trivial that Mrs.Brenton almost smiled when she thought of the girl's distress.
* * * * * "Well," said John Speed to Mr.Brenton, "if that doesn't beat the Old Harry.

Now I, for one, am very glad of it, if we come to the real truth of the matter." "I am glad also," said Brenton, "that the girl is not guilty, although I must say things looked decidedly against her." "I will tell you why I am glad," said Speed.