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Rh is almost entirely transacted by his nephew. Some few, like Alaric Baring, feel a prejudice against the young man; but with the world at large he has made his way well, owing to his industry, perseverance, and good temper. Partly, perhaps, for his uncle's sake, partly, perhaps, for his own, Mrs. Baring always stands up warmly for George, if her husband alludes slightingly to the junior partner of the firm, Twisden and Daintree. Alaric cannot forget the fact of the young lawyer's pursuing Elizabeth, under a feigned name. It is useless for her to pretend, still more useless to try to make him believe, that Mr. Twisden's nephew was ignorant of her hiding-place—that it was accident brought him to Madame Martineau's. The American is too shrewd for that. He knows nothing of the intercepted letter, he is ignorant how the junior partner obtained knowledge of the secret confided to his senior; but he smiles incredulously. And then Elizabeth is angry. But this is of rare occurrence now, for her husband generally takes refuge in silence when George's name is mentioned.

Once, and once only, has Elizabeth come face to face with Mrs. William Shaw. It was in Marshall and Snelgrove's shop. The little widow, pretty and smart as ever, made a movement as thongh she would have held out a hand—both hands—of reconciliation. Elizabeth flushed, but she looked at her aunt deliberately, and passed on without a sign of recognition. "It is the first, and I hope it may be the last, time that I cut a woman," she said afterwards to her husband. It is needless to say that Wybrowe did not marry a widow, with only a tolerable jointure; but, to Mrs. Baring's great satisfaction, the woman who