roof for their shelter.  For herself she would not have cared had it been necessary for her to hide herself in a hut for herself, as regarded any feeling as to her own standing in the village.  For herself, she was ashamed of nothing.  But her mother would suffer, and she knew what Aunt Stanbury would say to Dorothy.  To Dorothy at the present moment, if Dorothy should think of accepting her suitor, the change might be very deleterious; but still it should be made.  She could not endure to live there on the very hard-earned proceeds of her brother’s pen, proceeds which were not only hard-earned, but precarious.  She gave warning to the two servants who had been hired, and consulted with Mrs Crocket as to a cottage, and was careful to let it be known throughout Nuncombe Putney that the Clock House was to be abandoned.  The Clock House had been taken furnished for six months, of which half were not yet over; but there were other expenses of living there much greater than the rent, and go she would.  Her mother sighed and assented; and Mrs Crocket, having strongly but fruitlessly advised that the Clock House should be inhabited at any rate for the six months, promised her assistance.  ‘It has been a bad business, Mrs Crocket,’ said Priscilla; ’and all we can do now is to get out of it as well as we can.  Every mouthful I eat chokes me while I stay there.’  ’It ain’t good, certainly, miss, not to know as you’re all straight the first thing as you wakes in the morning,’ said Mrs Crocket who was always able to feel when she woke that everything was straight with her.

Then there came the correspondence between Priscilla and Hugh.  Priscilla was at first decided, indeed, but mild in the expression of her decision.  To this, and to one or two other missives couched in terms of increasing decision, Hugh answered with manly, self-asserting, overbearing arguments.  The house was theirs till Christmas; between this and then he would think about it.  He could very well afford to keep the house on till next Midsummer, and then they might see what had best be done.  There was plenty of money, and Priscilla need not put herself into a flutter.  In answer to that word flutter, Priscilla wrote as follows: 

’Clock House, September 16, 186-

Dear Hugh,

I know very well how good you are, and how generous, but you must allow me to have feelings as well as yourself.  I will not consent to have myself regarded as a grand lady out of your earnings.  How should I feel when some day I heard that you had run yourself into debt?  Neither mamma nor I could endure it.  Dorothy is provided for now, at any rate for a time, and what we have is enough for us.  You know I am not too proud to take anything you can spare us, when we are ourselves placed in a proper position; but I could not live in this great house, while you are paying for everything, and I will not.  Mamma quite agrees with me, and we shall go out of it on