Will Warburton

elegraphed awaited him at the station; its driver, a young man of his own age (they had known each othe

rybody flourishing?-Drive fi

rdinary solemnity, and seemed to regard every one, no matter how prosperous or cheerful, with anxious commiseration. At the sight of Will,

nbull, and wanted to ask if you cou

awyer, his tone that of one invited

on't mean in bankruptcy; but that wo

oughly kind man, it always brightened him to hear of misfortune, especially when he had himself

I should like to t

the lawye

rns my mothe

rnbull, with prof

ect you.-Will it r

ed. It wouldn't surprise me if we had

hope not," repl

ide by a row of fine hawthorns, nearly as high as the top of its chimneys. In front, bordered along the road by hollies as impenetrable as a stone wall, lay a bright little flower garden. The Haws, orig

gate, "I don't think I shall pay for th

m knew he always had to expect a joke of this kin

lend me half

ld, sir, if you

th

-crown, jumped off the

'd better pay. Your wife m

in small change, which Sam took and

tter? Don't you say

ou, sir-it's all

Be here to-morrow morning, to

r feet, but withal brisk of movement; her face was remarkable for nothing but a grave good-humour. She wore a broad-brimmed straw ha

t my letter this m

es

l is coming

oughtfully, rubbing her gloves t

agement. But I don't mind that. I feel so confident myself that I want some one to

le resemblance of feature; Will, on the other hand, had inherited her oval face, arched brows and sensitive mouth. Emotion had touched her cheek with the faintest glow, but ordinarily it was pale as her hand. Noth

" were her first words, after the gr

t," said Jane. "He'll b

fixed upon him in grave and surprised reproach. The dog's name indicated a historical preference of Jane

, cordially repairing his omission. "C

emselves as poor; with one maid-servant and the occasional help of a gardener, they had all the comfort they wished for, and were able to bestow of their superfluity in vegetables and flowers upon less fortunate acquaintances. Until a year or two ago, Mrs. Warburton had led a life of ceaseless activity, indoors and out; such was the habit of her daughter, who enjoyed vigorous health, and cared little for sedenta

ew what he was doing; now and then I've thought he was risking too much, but he's a clear-he

r share in that, Will,

concern would have fallen to pieces years ago, like so many others. House after house has gone down; our turn must have come very so

id Jane laughing,

homemade bread and home-grown vegetables he was never tired of praising; such fragrant and toothsome loaves, he loudly protested, were to be eaten nowhere else in England. He began to talk of his holiday abroad, when all at o

asked Jane, noticin

I'm afraid that girl is an idiot. She used the opportunity of her absence, I fi

erested in the artist's love story, as narrated t

ps it's the best thing that could have happened to Franks, for

another idea of Miss

o knows? I don't pretend

being overdone; after all, the country could consume only a certain quantity of even the most wholesome preserves, and a glut of jam already threatened the market. Applegarth? By the bye, did he not remember proceedings in bankruptcy connected with that unusual name? He must look into the matter. And, talking about bankruptcy-oh! how bad his lumbago was to-night!-poor Thomas Hart, of Three Ash Farm, was

though his mother was quite free to manage her property as she chose, Will felt that he should hot venture to urge his scheme against the lawyer

for changed wall paper and carpet, everything was as Will remembered it ever since he could remember anything at all; the same simple furniture, the same white curtains, the same pictures, the same little hanging shelf, with books given to hi

s parents' life, as he saw it then, as in reflection he saw it now, remained an ideal; he did not care to hope for himself, or to imagine, any other form of domestic contentm

ed feeling, of lucid calm, Warburton saw Rosamund's behaviour in a new light. Perhaps she was not blameworthy at all, but rather deserving of all praise; for, if she had come to know, beyond doubt, that she did not love Norbert Franks as she had thought, then

et? If the lover's jealousy were as ridiculous as he pretended, why did he feel what now he could confess to himself was an unworthy titillation, when Franks seemed to accuse him of some part in the girl's disloyalty? Vanity, that, sure enough; vanit

ds sufficed him for details of the toilet, which, had he spent minutes over them, would have fretted his nerves intolerably. His bath was one wild welter-not even the ceiling being safe from splashes; he clad himself in a brief series of plunges; his shaving might have earned the applause of an assembly gathered to

ners," was her greeting, as he app

nted to the heavy clusters of dark-green p

claimed Will, with

ome into the garden on a morning like this, I have a feeling-o

said Wil

end, to come and admire and enjoy what she has done.

liar animation shone in her looks this morning, and sounded in her voice. Very soon the reason was

that women oughtn't to have to think about money, and mother hates the name of it; she always has done. Oh,

you more," remarked Will,

t; there are lots of uses for

sed the matter, and her basket being ful

that," cried Wi

en, as a very

t's grand to turn up pota

, watching him with keen interes

ly,

s of

n enough had been dug, they strolled about, looking at other vegetables. Jane pointed to some Savoy seedlings,

ane. "Pompey always goes to meet him in t