What is the matter ?" And he looked very anxious.
"Well, sir," said Mrs.Easton, very guardedly, "she certainly gave me a fright when she came here.

She looked quite pale; but whether it was that she wanted a change--but whatever it was, it couldn't be very serious.

You shall judge for yourself.

Sister, go to Miss Mary's room, and tell her." Mrs.Easton, in giving this instruction, frowned at her sister as much as to say, "Now don't speak, but go." When she was gone, the next thing was to find out if the woman had made any foolish admission to Mr.Hope; so she waited for him.
She had not long to wait.
Hope said: "I hardly expected to see you; your sister said you were from home." "Well, sir," said Mrs.Easton, "we were not so far off, but we did come home a little sooner than we intended, and I am rare glad we did, for Miss Mary wouldn't have missed you for all the _views_ in the county." With that she made an excuse, and left him.

She found her sister in Mary's room: they were comparing notes.
"Now," said she to Mrs.Gilbert, "you tell me every word you said to Mr.
Hope about Miss Mary and me." "Well, I said you were not at home, and that is every word; he didn't give me time to say any more for questioning of me about her health." "That's lucky," said Mrs.Easton, dryly.