'
'And I am sure that your respectable neighbour, Mr. Turner, is a toad
on his hind legs,' said Rupert.
'Minus the precious jewel,' said Elizabeth.
'By-the-bye,' said Rupert, 'is there not some mystery about that
gentleman? This morning I hazarded a supposition, in the drawing-
room, that the lost darling we have heard so much of, might have been
dissected for the benefit of Mr. Turner's pupils, and thereupon arose
a most wonderful whispering between Kate and one of your sweet
cousins there, Lizzie, about some nephew, an Adolphus or Augustus, or
some such name; but the more questions I asked, the more dark and
mysterious did the young ladies become.'
'I wonder if it is possible!' cried Elizabeth, with a sudden start.
'What is possible?' asked Anne.
'That Rupert should be right,' said Elizabeth; 'was Mrs. Hazleby in
the room when you spoke ?'
'Yes, but what of that?' said Rupert.
'That you, talking at random,' said Elizabeth, 'very nearly betrayed
Harriet's grand secret.'
'Really, the affair becomes quite exciting,' said Rupert; 'pray do
not leave me in suspense, explain yourself.
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