“It is, Miss Goodwin, and another, too, but principally yourself.”
“But what right have you, Caterine, to question me upon my own affairs?”
“No right, miss; but I wish to prevent you from, harm.”
“I thank you for your good wishes, Caterine; but what is it you would say?”
“Is it true, Miss Alice, that you and Mr. Woodward are coortin'?”
“It is not, Caterine,” replied Alice, uttering the disavowal with a good deal of earnestness; “there is no truth whatsoever in it; nothing can be more false and groundless—I wonder how such a rumor could have got abroad; it certainly could not proceed from Mr. Woodward.”
“It did not, indeed, Miss Alice; but it did from his brother, who, it seems, is very fond of him, and said he was glad of it; but indeed, miss, it delights my heart to hear that there is no truth in it. Mr. Woodward, God save us! is no fit husband for any Christian! woman.”
“Why so?” asked Alice, laboring under, some vague sense of alarm.
“Why, Heavenly Father! Miss Alice, sure it's well known he has the Evil Eye; it's in the family upon his mother's side.”
“My God!” exclaimed Alice, who became instantly as pale as death, “if that be true, Caterine, it's shocking.”