THE GOOD MISS KENDRICKS. 18

to speak for him. Joanna said, considering the
reluctance which her sister had shown to visiting her
brother, she had entirely given up the thoughts of
her ever residing with him ; and that, in fact, wher-
ever her home was, there also would be Dorothy’s.
Allen was silent. Joanna’s spirit was roused; did he
then not wish her sister to live with them? He
hummed and hawed, as people do who are ashamed of
speaking out their real minds. She then said, that
he was free to choose another wife; for without
she had his most full and free consent to Dorothy
living with them, and to her own share of whatever
the sale of the business might produce being settled
upon her, she would never become his wife.

Whether Allen looked for some such consumma-~
tion as this; or whether he wished it—whether he
was tired of his old love, and wished to be on with a
new—is not for us to say ; but on hearing these words,
he quietly rose up from his chair, and in a tone rather
of ill-humour than grief, said, “Very well; then I
suppose there will be an end of the matter.”

“*I suppose there will,” said J oanna, without the
least agitation.

“If you alter your mind before night,” said he, “you
can let me know; I will stay so long at my mother’s.”

“T shall not alter my mind,” said Joanna; “and
I thank God that I have found you out before it was
too late.”

Nothing more was said ; Allen took his hat, and
left the house 3 and Joanna did not alter her mind,
The next day the mother and sister came, and were
a deal more vehement on the subject than Allen had
been ; they upbraided her and scolded her no little,
and had no mercy on the poor blind Dorothy, who,

c