There could be no doubt of it--none in the least, declared Miss Rodney in the privacy of her own miserable reflections.
Just as she was on the point of carrying her woes to her mother, an astounding revelation came to her out of a clear sky; an entirely new condition came into the problem.

It dawned upon her suddenly, without warning, that Roxbury Medcroft was in love with his sister-in-law! [Illustration: "She began to detect a decided falling off in his ardour."] When she burst in upon her mother, half an hour later, that excellent lady started up from her couch, alarmed by the excitement in her daughter's face.

Mrs.Rodney, good soul, was one of the kind who always think the world is coming to an end, or the house is on fire, or the king has been assassinated, if any one approaches with a look of distress in his face.
"My dear, my dear!" she cried, as Katherine stopped tragically in the doorway.

"What has happened to your father?
Speak!" "Mamma, it's worse than that! I--" "Merciful heaven!" The good lady blindly reached for her smelling salts.
"I've made a dreadful discovery," went on Katherine in suppressed tones.
"It came to me like a flash.

I couldn't believe my own brain.