not answer forever. She became restive, insisted upon her rights, and finally

announced her positive intention of going to a certain ball. What does her

clever stepfather do then? He conceives an idea more creditable to his head

than to his heart. With the connivance and assistance of his wife he disguised

himself, covered those keen eyes with tinted glasses, masked the face with a

moustache and a pair of bushy whiskers, sunk that clear voice into an

insinuating whisper, and doubly secure on account of the girl’s short

sight, he appears as Mr. Hosmer Angel, and keeps off other lovers by making

love himself.”


“It was only a joke at first,” groaned our visitor. “We never

thought that she would have been so carried away.”


“Very likely not. However that may be, the young lady was very decidedly

carried away, and, having quite made up her mind that her stepfather was in

France, the suspicion of treachery never for an instant entered her mind. She

was flattered by the gentleman’s attentions, and the effect was increased

by the loudly expressed admiration of her mother. Then Mr. Angel began to call,

for it was obvious that the matter should be pushed as far as it would go if a

real effect were to be produced. There were meetings, and an engagement, which

would finally secure the girl’s affections from turning towards anyone

else. But the deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys

to France were rather cumbrous. The thing to do was clearly to bring the

business to an end in such a dramatic manner that it would leave a permanent

impression upon the young lady’s mind and prevent her from looking upon

any other suitor for some time to come. Hence those vows of fidelity exacted

upon a Testament, and hence also the allusions to a possibility of something

happening on the very morning of the wedding. James Windibank wished Miss

Sutherland to be so bound to Hosmer Angel, and so uncertain as to his fate,