"But there must have been--"

"Listen to me," she interrupted, "and tell me if you ever heard anythingqueerer in your life. They'd been engaged--Heaven knows how long--overtwo fortnights; probably nearer three--and always she kept putting it off;wouldn't begin to get ready, wouldn't set a day for the wedding. ThenMr. Apperthwaite died, and left her and her mother stranded high and drywith nothing to live on. Pemberton had everything in the world to giveher--and STILL she wouldn't! And then, one day, she came up here andtold me she'd broken it off. Said she couldn't stand it to be engaged toPemberton Beasley another minute!"