46 AN EVENING AT HOME.

 

in the evening, and that he went out with
them and stayed until bedtime. But unless
his sisters were from home, he never went
of his own accord. The fact of his being
out with these young men had, from the
first, troubled Helen; though the reason
of her feeling troubled she could not tell.
Edward had good principles, and she could
not bring herself to entertain fears of any
clearly defined evil. Still a sensation of
uneasiness was always produced when he
was from home in the evening.

Her knowing that Edward would go out
after they had all left, was the reason why
Helen did not wish to attend the ball.
The first thought of this had produced an
unpleasant sensation in her mind, which
increased the longer she debated the ques-
tion of going away or remaining at home.
Finally, she decided that she would not go.
This decision took place after the inter-
view with her mother, which was only
half an hour from the time of starting.

Edward knew nothing of the intention