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GURNEY MARRIED:

A SEQUEL TO

GILBERT GURNEY.

BY THE

AUTHOR OF "SAYINGS AND DOINGS,'

"JACK BRAG," &c. &c.

Hectare 14

1.8

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THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIPKART,

ASTOR LENOX -*-
TLDEN FOUNDATION

Transfer from Circ. Dept. MAY 27 1905

GURNEY MARRIED.

CHAPTER I.

WITH all her inherent excellences, there is no question but that a woman-a pure, virtuous, right-minded woman, does feel a stronger and more implacable hatred for vice and levity of character in another woman, than with a knowledge of her constitutional kindness of feeling, one would at first imagine possible. Now, as to Kate Falwasser, I saw, of course, and felt, the impropriety of her conduct with regard to Kittington; but it struck me to be only part and parcel of the system upon which she was ordinarily permitted to conduct herself, and a natural result of the course of education in which, under the able surveillance of Mrs. Brandyball, and latterly by the negative attentions of Cuthbert, she had been trained. But Harriet's feelings were of so much stronger character; her indignation-I believe I may call it disgust so much more powerful than any thing I could bring myself to feel, that she was unable to endure the presence of the girl, or, if she permitted her to stay in her room for half an hour, her look rested upon her handsome flushed cheek and her bright sparkling eyes with an expression' which conveyed to me the idea that she positively loathed her.

"My dear Gilbert," said Harriet, "it is quite impossible that you should permit this girl to stay here, and return to your brother without letting her understand that you are aware of her conduct with regard to Mr. Kittington. You owe it to Cuthbert, to her, and to yourself, to make her acquainted with the circumstance: why are you to be a silent party to such an odious transaction?"

"I do not see why I should meddle in it," said I. "If Kittington were a different sort of man from what he is, and

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there were any danger of matters coming to a serious conclusion, I should certainly consider it a duty to interfere; but as nothing of the kind is to be apprehended, I really do not see why I am to excite the ill-feeling of the girl, especially as I have already assured myself that she would by some means or other contrive to associate Cuthbert in her cause against me, and I should fall a victim to my attempt at any such exposure."

It was in vain I argued thus. Harriet talked of the principle of the affair-the propriety of using my knowledge of what was past, as a caution to the girl as to the future. Mrs. Wells had positively forbidden any intercourse between Kitty and Bessy Wells, who had been removed to a distance the morning after the arrival of the unwelcome visiter, under the plea of an old engagement, and the advantage of a change of air; and Fanny kept the house, not only out of respect to Tom's memory, but because the state of her engagement with the odious Lieutenant was growing particularly feverish.

Politics, I admit, occupied but a very small share of my attention just now, and, although always as a Tory born and bred, I delighted to hear of the successes almost weekly gained over our enemies by Lord Wellington, I felt so assured of the eventful triumph of my country over faction at home and foes abroad, that having no personal share, either civil or military, however humble it might have been, in the gigantic struggle going on, the fluctuations of my feelings were narrowed into the smallest possible circumference, and confined to the constantly vacillating question. of whether and when Lieutenant Merntan's recruiting service would really terminate, and his presence with his regiment be required. I heard faint rumours of an expectation that such an event was again anticipated, but I began to think that the subject was only agitated whenever any difference chanced to arise between the lovers. From what I could collect it appeared that Fanny's eyes had been opened to the real character of her admirer, and that her filial affection seemed to preponderate in the scale during the discussion which was taking place as to the late outbreak of the gallant gentleman's temper.

Thus left to ourselves, Harriet was compelled to endure more of the society of the young ladies from Bath than would otherwise have been necessary, and, while I was present, I confess I sat upon thorns, expecting every moment an explosion of Harriet's indignation, which I so earnestly desired to avoid.

"Pappy," said Kate, "wished us very much to see poor

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