"I must say that I think you a little prejudiced," she returned, with honest indignation, and that natural love of opposition that incites young people to do battle for the accused. She did not love Miss Charity in the least; but, nevertheless, her sense of justice prompted her to take up her defence. "She is nice-looking now, every one says so; and when she was young she was more than pretty, positively beautiful, before she met with her accident." "Was it an accident that caused her illness?" "Yes; she was a strong healthy girl, just like us, fresh-colored and blooming; and her hair used to be so pretty,--it was just that paler tinge of gold that one sees with fair complexions, and now the color seems all worked out of it. She used to be called the pretty Miss Palmer; and then she was the only one of the four sisters who were ever engaged." "Oh, Cathy, I thought you told me that there was no one for them to marry!" "I forgot Miss Charity's affair; she was engaged to a young farmer in Wythiedale. I fancy he was a rough-and-ready sort of person; but I believe she was fond of him, poor thing, and then her accident happened." "What sort of accident?" "Oh, she fell down the granary steps when she was spending the day at his father's. It was a dreadful affair; partial paralysis set in, and there was a complication, and a great deal of suffering; and then the doctor said it was hopeless, and she was obliged to give him up." "Oh, poor Miss Charity!" ejaculated Queenie, with tears in her eyes. She could have gone back and asked her pardon on the spot for all the hard things she had thought. "I never dreamt of trouble like this; I can hardly bear to hear of it. What became of the poor fellow?" "That is the worst part of all," replied Cathy, rather reluctantly; "his end was very miserable. He broke his neck when he was out hunting. His horse fell, in trying to jump a five-barred gate, and rolled over on him. Some people said he was not quite sober when it happened. Whether he grew reckless from the loss of her, or whether, as it is strongly suspected, he was addicted to intemperance from the first, I cannot possibly tell; but I rather think that she must have been deceived in him. Of course no one was cruel enough to hint at such a thing to her; and so she treasures the memory of her poor George, as she calls him." "But, Cathy, what a terrible tragedy!"