The doctor has not gone to the extent of parting them, or of suspending the engagement; but he is prepared to be strict and exacting as to Mr.Val's line of conduct; and I fancy the suspicion that it would be so has kept Val away from Calne." "What will be done ?" "I hardly know.

Val does not make a confidant of me, and I can't get to the bottom of how he is situated.

Debts I am sure he has; but whether--" "Val always had plenty of those," interrupted Maude.
"True.

When my father died, three parts of Val's inheritance went to pay off debts nobody knew he had contracted.

The worst is, he glides into these difficulties unwittingly, led and swayed by others.