By-the-bye, you know my puppy?"
"We have not that honour. Do we know Dr. Sampson's puppy, love?" inquired
Mrs. Dodd, rather languidly.
"Mamma!--I--I--know no one of that name."
"Don't tell me! Why it was he sent me here told me where you lived, and I
was to make haste, for Miss Dodd was very ill: it is young Hardie, the
banker's son, ye know."
Mrs. Dodd said good-humouredly, but with a very slight touch of irony,
that really they were very much flattered by the interest Mr. Alfred
Hardie had shown; especially as her daughter had never exchanged ten
words with him. Julia coloured at this statement, the accuracy of which
she had good reason to doubt; and the poor girl felt as if an icicle
passed swiftly along her back. And then, for the first the in her life,
she thought her mother hardly gracious; and she wanted to say _she_ was
obliged to Mr. Alfred Hardie, but dared not, and despised herself for not
daring. Her composure was further attacked by Mrs. Dodd looking full at
her, and saying interrogatively, "I wonder how that young gentleman could
know about your being ill ?"
At this Julia eyed her plate very attentively, and murmured, "I believe
it is all over the town: and seriously too; so Mrs.
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