Then Mr Kipperson paused, and then Mr Pringle replied, “Certainly not. But I think that if Mr Primrose does not know the intention of his daughter, he ought by some means to be informed of it. And indeed it would not be desirable that you or I should be very actively engaged against Lord Spoonbill. The question therefore is, how shall we let Mr Primrose know, without any risk of being suspected by Lord Spoonbill? But perhaps my cousin may be deceived, after all: you know he mentioned some such report when he was here a little while ago, and he afterwards found that he had been misled.” At this Mr Kipperson shook his wise head, and replied with a knowing smile, “No, no, Mr Pringle, I am pretty sure that your cousin is not deceived. I know it for a fact that Colonel Crop has been at the castle with Lord Spoonbill, and that very lately; and I believe that the colonel is there still; and I have heard some remarks made by some of Lord Smatterton’s people, by which I am convinced that your cousin’s information is well founded.” It has been said that Mr Pringle was an admirer of Miss Primrose; the same also has been said of Mr Kipperson. But when Robert Darnley renewed his acquaintance with the young lady, faint were the hopes of these two gentlemen. Mr Pringle however had not totally despaired, seeing that he was aware of the opposition of Mr Darnley the elder; and, in hopes that there might yet be some chance for him, he had paid very frequent visits and very close attention. The contents of his cousin’s letter did therefore disturb him a little; but when Mr Kipperson seemed to corroborate the information contained in that letter, the reverend rector was disturbed much more, and he was quite shocked to think that a young lady of such apparent purity of mind and of such high feeling and general correctness of deportment, should so far compromise her dignity as voluntarily to submit to such an arrangement as that which was stated in Zephaniah’s letter. The reverend divine, then, being concerned and grieved for Miss Primrose, began to cast about in his mind by what means so melancholy a catastrophe might be prevented. Mr Kipperson did not seem likely to afford him any valuable assistance in the way of counsel or advice; but at length the sagacious agriculturist bethought himself of another corroborating fact that seemed to prove the truth of Mr Zephaniah Pringle’s letter, and he gave utterance to the thought which had occurred to him: “Have you not observed of late, Mr Pringle, that Mr Robert Darnley has discontinued his visits to Smatterton?” “That I have indeed,” replied the rector of Smatterton; “and I suppose that the Darnleys are already aware of the arrangement.” “No doubt of it,” answered Mr Kipperson.