"Then he is ill--mentally ill," cried Isabel, excitedly. "I knew that there must be some excuse for his strange behaviour. Laura dear, my heart has misgiven me from the first. It is all so directly opposed to his nature and character. I will not believe that he could be so false to everything that he has said to me." Laura was silent again, and Isabel's careworn face flushed once more. "You are not sisterly and true," she cried. "The world is censorious enough without those who are nearest and dearest to us turning away and becoming our enemies." "I am not Fred's enemy, Bel," said Laura, gently. "Then why are you so hard against him?" "Because I feel that by his conduct he has put us all to shame." "Yes, all to shame--all to shame, my dear," cried Aunt Grace, who had entered the room unnoticed. "It's a wicked, wicked world; but it's very good of you to come and see us, my dear, heart-broken as we are. You have come to stop a few days, of course?" "I? Oh, no no, no. We are staying in town," said Isabel, hurriedly, "and I must go directly." "I am sorry to hear that," said Aunt Grace in rather an offended tone. "I did not think you would turn away from us in our trouble, Isabel; I thought better of you." "I turn away from you and Laura, Aunt Grace? Oh no, no, no." "I'm glad to hear it, my dear, because if you would stay we should be very glad." "Oh, auntie!" whispered Laura, "impossible." "It is not impossible, Laura," cried the old lady; "and I beg that you will not interfere. Isabel, my child, I shall be very glad indeed if you will stay, and you need not be at all afraid of meeting that dissolute, dissipated young man." "Mrs Crane"--began Isabel, agitatedly, but she was interrupted at once. "No, no, no, my dear; pray don't apologise and make excuses. Laura and I would be very pleased, and we see nothing whatever of Frederick now from breakfast-time to dinner. I don't know where he spends his days, but he is after no good." "Aunt dear, I really must interfere once more," cried Laura, warmly. "It is, as I said, impossible for Isabel to stoop to meet Fred again; and as to staying in the house--my dear aunt, of what can you be thinking?" "That we are beginning to live in evil times, Laura," cried the old lady, indignantly, "when little girls so far forget the respect due to their elders as to speak as you did just now. I ought to be the best judge, miss, of what is correct, if you please." "Pray say no more, Mrs Crane," cried Isabel, earnestly. "I must go back to the hotel where we are staying. It would indeed be impossible for me to visit here now." "Oh, very well, my dear, very well," cried the old lady, drawing herself up. "I can see very plainly that you have allowed yourself to be impressed by what Laura has said. Young people will hold together, and think that they are wiser than their elders. There is one comfort, though, for us old folk: you all find out your mistake."