Ellen Wood

“ Afy dropped her hand again, and made a dead standstill.
"If you think any vile, false insinuations that you may concoct will injure me, you are mistaken, Ebenezer James. I am too much respected in the place. So don't try it on."
"Why, Afy, what has put you out? I don't want to injure you. Couldn't do it, if I tried, as you say," he added, with another quiet laugh. "I have been in too many scrapes myself to let my tongue bring other folks into one."
"There, that's enough. Just take yourself off. It's not over reputable to have you at one's side in public." ”

“ Afy Hallijohn, recovered from her fainting fit, had to be smuggled out of Miss Carlyle's, as she had been smuggled in. She was of an elastic nature, and the shock, or the surprise, or the heat, whatever it may have been, being over, Afy was herself again.
Not very far removed from the residence of Miss Carlyle was a shop in the cheese and ham and butter and bacon line. A very respectable shop, too, and kept by a very respectable man—a young man of mild countenance, who had purchased the good-will of the business through an advertisement, and come down from London to take possession. ”

“ Carlyle is our member. God bless him! there's not many like him. But, I say, Miss Hallijohn, whatever is it that the other one has done? Murder, they say. I can't make top nor tail of it. Of course we know he was bad enough before."
"Don't ask me," said Afy. "Murder's not a pleasant subject for a lady to discuss. Are all these customers? Dear me, you'll have enough to do to attend to them; your man can't do it all; so I won't stay talking any longer."
With a gracious flourish of her flounces and wave of the handkerchief Afy sailed off. ”

“ We have had a bad lot in, Miss Hallijohn, and I am going to return them!"
"Oh," said Afy, conspicuously resenting the remark. "I don't know anything about that sort of thing. Butter-tubs are beneath me."
"Of course, of course, Miss Hallijohn," deprecated poor Jiffin. "They are very profitable, though, to those who understand the trade."
"What is all that shouting?" cried Afy, alluding to a tremendous noise in the distance, which had continued for some little time.
"It's the voters cheering Mr. Carlyle. I suppose you know that he's elected, Miss Hallijohn?" ”

“ And she condescended to put the tips of her white gloves into the offered hand, as she coquetted with her handkerchief, her veil, and her ringlets. "I thought you would have shut up your shop to-day, Mr. Jiffin, and taken a holiday."
"Business must be attended to," responded Mr. Jiffin, quite lost in the contemplation of Afy's numerous attractions, unusually conspicuous as they were. "Had I known that you were abroad, Miss Hallijohn, and enjoying a holiday, perhaps I might have done it, too, in the hope of coming across you somewhere or other." ”

“ Amidst the shouts, the jeers, and the escort of the mob, Sir Francis Levison and Otway Bethel were lodged in the station-house, preparatory to their examination before the magistrates. Never, sure, was so mortifying an interruption known. So thought Sir Francis's party. And they deemed it well, after some consultation amongst themselves, to withdraw his name as a candidate for the membership. That he never had a shadow of chance from the first, most of them knew. ”

“ I'm sure I don't know."
"I swear that I am innocent," passionately uttered Otway Bethel.
"Well, sir, you have only got to prove it," civilly rejoined the policeman.
Miss Carlyle and Lady Isabel leaned from the window, their curiosity too much excited to remain silent longer. Mrs. Hare was standing by their side.
"What is the matter?" both asked of the upturned faces immediately beneath.
"Them two—the fine member as wanted to be, and young Bethel—be arrested for murder," spoke a man's clear voice in answer. ”

“ The country people had come in, thick and threefold; rich and poor; people of note, and people of none; voters and non-voters, all eager to mix themselves up with the day's proceedings. You see the notorious fact of Sir Francis Levison's having come forward to oppose Mr. Carlyle, caused greater interest in this election than is usual, even in small country places—and that need not be. Barbara drove in her carriage, the two children with her, and the governess. The governess said she preferred to remain at home. Barbara would not hear of it ”

“ The street was alive with people; the windows were crowded with heads; something unusual was astir. It was the day of the nomination of the two candidates, and everybody took the opportunity to make a holiday. ”

“ Carlyle, glancing round to make sure that none could hear the assertion save those present. "But what I say to you and Barbara, I would not say to the world. Whatever be the man's guilt, I am not his Nemesis. ”