Page:Life's little ironies (1894).pdf/78

did he guess that Rosa was likely to marry? Good Heaven! Cornelius, you seem doomed to bring bad news always, do you not ?”

“I do,” said Cornelius. “Poor Rosa!”

It was almost in tears, so great was their heart-sickness and shame, that the brothers walked the remainder of the way to Joshua’s dwelling. In the evening they set out to meet Rosa, bringing her to the village in a fly; and when she had come into the house, and was sitting down with them, they almost forgot their secret anxiety in contemplating her, who knew nothing about it.

Next day the Fellmers came, and the two or three days after that were a lively time. That the squire was yielding to his impulesee—making up his mind—there could be no doubt. On Sunday Cornelius read the lessons and Joshua preached. Mrs. Fellmer was quite maternal towards Rosa, and it appeared that abe had decided to welcome the inevitable with a good grace. The pretty girl was to spend yet another afternoon with the elder Jady, superintending some parish treat at the honse in observance of Christmas, and™ afterwards to stay on to dinner, ber brothers to fetch her in the evening, They were also invited to dine, but they could not accept owing to an engagement.

The engagement was of a sombre sort. They were going to meet their father, who would that day be released from Foantall Jail, and try to persuade him to keep away from Narrobourne. Every exertion was to be made to get him back to Canada, to his old home in the Midlands—any where, so that he would not impinge disastrously upon their courses, and blast their sister's prospect of the auspicious marriage which was just then hanging in the balance.

As soon as Rosa had been fetched away by her friends at the manor-house her brothers started on