162 1171

he was trying to find words in which to describe Miss Woodroffe. If that were so, he did not succeed. After a minute hc went on again, without attempting to gIve me any p()llhllLLlIC of the herome of hh story.

“Upon my word, Mary, T can't tell how it happened. Al T know is that she was the most charminy woman 1 cver saw 1

my life. We talked a great deal during dinner, and we talked a great deal after

dinner ; and the more she talked, and the more I looked at her, the more | thought with disgust of my solitary existence. Some- how or other, before I got up next morning I had made up my mind that I would try to persuale her to become my wile, All this, of course, 1s very commonplace ; plenty of men, I supposc, even some men of fifty-hve, must have had the same sort of expericnce. Now comes the part of the story which [ think must belong to me alone. Do you remember how, years ago, I persuaded you to let me send some of your hanlwriting to a lady who plOfLHsL(l to know all about the people whose writing she was allowed to examine ? I sent yours and some others ; do you remember 27

“Yes," I oanswered, T remember very well 3 anld we thouom the characters sent back were wonder tully true.”

“WWe did,” sald John emphatically,** and that was the mischief of it. Somece timce after that I had a housckecper whom I sus- pected of cheating me, and I sent a note of hers to Miss Harris by way of clearing up my opinion of her. Niss Harris wrotc back that she was civil and plausible, but not to be trusted ; and sure cnough after a time [ detected hel in dow mloht robbery:. Upon my word, Mary, if | did believe in Miss Harris, I had good reason, and ['m not so very sure yet that she (lovsn t deserve to be believed in. Well, now, what do vou think 1 did? I determined to get a note from Miss Woodrofle, and send it to Miss Harris, before 1T took another step in the affair. Miss Woodroffe, as it happened, was to stay at the Joddrells” for two or three weeks ; and before a wecek was over T had managed to get a note of two or three lines from her. This I sent to Miss Harris, and I can show you the answer T received.”

Here John took from his pocket a letter- case, or pocket-book, from which, after some turning over of the papers it contained, he drew out a much-worn letter, and handed it to me. It began: *The handwriting of the ncte, of which you have requested

STRANLD

MAGAZIN T,

my opinton, 15 a very remarkable onc; 1t expresses 1 the strongest degree the qualities of a noble and refined character. T'he writer has a clear brain, an affectionate heart, and great rectitude of mind ; she talks well, and netther too much nor too little.” There was a good deal more in the sanme style, desceribing uch a paragon of our sex that I really th an 1nch or two taller for the reading of 1

CIE Miss \\’oodrnl"[b was all that, "I \'aicl " can't mmonm how you ever let hu aq.

“She was,” he answered 5 at any rate, |

have no reason to doubt 1t."”

[le put the paper back in its place, and went on i —

“ 1 thimk 1

may sayv that T lost no timece

She was from the

alter that. friendly beomning. About four weceks after our

first mecting I asked her to marry me, (md she said *Yes! Upon my word, \In\,

[ had been twenty-five instead of lifty-five, I don't think I could have been happier. She was just going away from the Jod- drells’y and b fore she went 1 told her all about Miss Harris, and what a thorough belief T had in her skill, Miss Woodrofle laughed at me, but unfortunately 1 was quite u)mlmul that my bchief was well founded, and quite determined to persuade her to think so too,

“She went away, and of course T wrote to her. Inoncol my first letters | sent her the one I have just shown you,and 1 begged her to send my handwriting also to I\Ilbs Harris for her own satisfaction. You sec | felt quite safe in doing this, because the description of me which had been sent at the time, you remember, had been rather flattering. On that occaston Miss Harris

had declared that 1T *was of an amiablc temper, liberal but trustworthy. I re- member the words well, and 1 thought 1t

could do me nothing but good 1f such an account of me found its way to Miss Wood- rofle.

“\What fools people arc! "The woman was @ rank 1mpostor, of course, as 1 found alteirwards to my cost, and as I ought to have known then, but T did really believe m her. Could )()Ll have guessed it ? 7

“AVell, no,” 1 answer Cd, “I really don't think I should have believed 1it—only you

know, John, you shrewd men can be so dreadtully Uululum Why, T remember a friend of my husband’s who doubted

(\U\Lhmfl, and yet he believed o Madame Blavatsky.'

John grunted. He did not scem to like