To her immense surprise her innocent remark had somewhat the effect of a bomb.

Mr.Saxon turned to his son with a sudden keen expression, as if he had convicted him of a crime.

Mrs.Saxon's face also was full of suppressed meaning, while Egbert colored furiously, looked thunderous at his sister, and relapsed into sulky silence.

Poor Ingred felt that she had, quite unconsciously, put her foot in it, though how or why she could not tell.

She said no more at the time, and when, afterwards, she ventured to refer again to the subject, she was so tremendously shut up that she saw clearly it was discreet to make no further inquiry.