Your pleasure is always the first motive for anything I do or wear." The dinner hour passed to such pleasant platitudes as John's description of the manner in which Greenwood broke up the radical meeting in the market-place; but in both hearts and below all the sweet intercourse there lay a sense of tragedy that nothing could propitiate or avert.
The subject, however, was not named till they were quite alone and the very house in its intense stillness appeared to be waiting and listening for the words to be spoken.

John was about to speak them, but Jane rose suddenly to her feet and looking steadily at him said, "John, what did your mother say about me this afternoon?
I expect you to tell me every word." "She would not talk about you in any way.

She said she had given you her whole mind straight to your face and would do no backbiting.

That is, as you know, mother's way." "Well, John, I would rather have the backbiting.

I like to be treated decently to my face.