36 THE OSBORNES AND

nephew being apprenticed to his business. Mr. Os-
borne said that he had just engaged a young appren-
tice, whom he shortly expected; that two at once
was rather too much; but considering the case of
poor Reynolds, and that it was to oblige Miss Ken-
drick, he would talk with Mr. Isaacs and see if it
could not be arranged ; and that she should know in
a day or two. Within a day or two, Joanna and her
sister resolved upon going to Matlock for a few weeks,
and taking their nephew with them ; so that there
was full time to deliberate. The season was fine.
Miss Kendrick found company to their taste at
Matlock ; and to the great joy of the boy, who now
for the first time in his life knew what ease and
pleasure were, the stay was lengthened to the end of
July.

On their return, Miss Kendrick went to hear the
decision of her friend the druggist ; again he was not
in the shop, but there stood behind the counter a
slim, gentlemanly youth, who, under the direction of
Mr. Isaacs, was folding up, very successfully, penny-
worths of Epsom salts and flowers of brimstone. This
was evidently the new apprentice of whom Mr. Os-
borne had spoken. On inquiring for that gentleman,
Miss Kendrick learned, to her surprise, that both he
and his wife were in London.

** It must be about that miserable business of the
Edwards's,” said she to Dorothy on her return. Of
course it was, and all the town knew it by this time;
for the newspapers had detailed the affair from one
end of the kingdom to the other.

The trial was now over. Edwards had pleaded
his own cause most skilfully and eloquently, but in
vain ; he was found guilty, and condemned to four-