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I shall be glad if you will make it convenient to go by that train. Please order anything that you like at the stables, and if you find it convenient to leave your servant to pack your clothes, he can go by a later train. You had better leave me to make your excuses to the ladies of my house. And now I wish you good afternoon, Mr Chevely."

When Chevely, looking considerably crestfallen, had got fairly out of hearing on his way to the Mote, Lord Leuchars turned to Stokes

"You haven't explained yet how you came to be here, Stokes, hiding in that ditch."

"Begging your lordship's pardon, as I were vermin-trapper for a year or more, and one has to go to queer shifts to trap such vermin as yon," and here he pointed over his shoulder at the receding form of Mr Chevely. "I seed as the young man weren't best pleased, as he shook his fist arter Master Dick and all, so I says to myself, I think I'll see as you don't get into no more mischief to-night, young man. And when I saw him a-sitting on the stile, I just makes a bit of a round like and crawls up this here ditch so as I may lie handy."

"Very handy," said Lord Leuchars, smiling. "Now look you here, my man," he continued after a moment's thought. "You have behaved very well indeed, like a good and sensible fellow, and so I am just going to give you this sovereign. But now not a word of this must go any further-don't tell your own wife even. No one must know a single word about it, for the young lady's sake, you know, and for Mr Dick's sake."

When Stokes, after receiving the welcome gratuity and giving the required promise, had been dismissed, Lord Leuchars for the first time addressed himself to Dick.

"Well, young man," he said, putting his hand on Dick's shoulder, "you may consider yourself forgiven,-in fact, there is nothing to forgive. I should have done the same in your case and at your age, especially perhaps with a very pretty girl in the case. She is a very dear little thing, and I have a great respect for her father, and I would not have this happen

for a great deal. If it came to Betty's ears, I believe she would scrag that fellow with her own hands, as she is very much taken with the girl. But the great thing is not to let it get about, and I know that you will hold your tongue.

"And now, my boy, I'll walk home with you. I was on my way to see your father in any case, rather, I think, because I did not want to have any more of that young man's company than I could help. I never did like the fellow, and it's something that we've got rid of him, though I wish it had not come about just like it has. How is your father, by the way, Dick I didn't think that he was at all himself the other day."

Dick shook his head rather sadly.

"I haven't thought him at all well since I came home this time. But it is very kind of you to come: I think it will cheer him up,”—and so they walked on together.

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258

CHAPTER XIX.

AN INTERRUPTED SERMON.

"BUT when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful."

The Rector of Barksworth was writing his sermon as he sat at his study table-writing in that beautiful, clear, though minute hand which was the envy and admiration of all his correspondents. He was one of those divines who entertain a conscientious objection to inflicting an old sermon upon a congregation. New lights, he would say to himself, seemed to come with new years; the old lights of the old years that were past and gone were, in comparison with the new lights. of the new years, dim and shadowy.

It was just past four o'clock on a January afternoon, a few minutes before a parlour-maid had brought a lamp and poked up the fire-a staid person, who moved by habit so softly in her walk that the Rector had hardly been aware of her presence. But now, after she had gone out and closed the door, he leant back in his chair and sighed rather wearily. It was a sigh partly of sympathy for the young man who had great riches and was loath to part with them, partly of sympathy with himself, for he felt that the time had come when he must speak of the rich young man in harsh terms. Hitherto up to this part of his sermon, that is—Mr Balfour had rather taken the young man's side, and indeed not without show of reason. For the

young man had, according to his own statement, led an exemplary life, had kept the moral law, and done his duty to his neighbours from his youth up; had neither stolen from nor offered violence to any man, and had honoured his father and his mother; and the Rector in his own heart thoroughly believed the statement. And yet there was still remaining that other and hardest of all things to do before the subject of his discourse could be pronounced perfect; and the Rector sighed as he wondered what Christian man or woman would have professed his or her readiness to give up that which was nearest to the heart all in a moment, as it were, were the treasured things worldly riches, as in the young man's case, or a favourite occupation, or a life of ease, or a dearly loved child. With the thought there came back to his mind two lines from Parnell's 'Hermit':

"Without a vain, without a grudging heart,
To Him who gave me all I yield a part."

But this

With the

A part! well, yes, a part; that was simple enough. young man was called upon to sell all that he had. thought that the 'Hermit' might furnish further clues for the treatment of his subject, the Rector rose from his seat to reach the volume.

Just then there was a tap at the door, and the parlour-maid again walked in.

"Tea of course," muttered Mr Balfour to himself, and then aloud he said, "Oh, tell Miss May, Jane, that I will be with her in five minutes."

"It is not tea-time yet, sir, but could young Mr Loder speak to you for a few minutes?"

Young Mr Loder! what could the young man want with him, at a moment too when he was very particularly engaged with quite a different young man altogether.

"Ah, show him into the drawing-room, Jane. Miss May will give him a cup of tea."

Jane half turned round and looked at Mr Loder, who was

in truth standing close behind her in the passage; and as he, having overheard the Rector's words, shook his head vehemently in token of disapproval, she again returned to the attack.

"If you please, sir, it was you that Mr Loder asked for. I think he had seen Miss May. He wanted to see you, sir, very particularly."

"Wants to see me very particularly?" repeated the Rector, speaking rather to himself than to the servant; and then, in place of giving a direct answer to the girl, he stood quite still with one hand on the 'Hermit' and thought for a minute.

What could the young man want with him? To be sure, he had given May a dog a fortnight ago, as he fancied that the roads weren't quite safe. Perhaps the creature ought to have a muzzle or some physic or something. Or, oh yes! was not there something about a stoat or some animal that carried off one of May's pigeons? Yes, a stoat or a rat. May's dog had killed a big rat one day, on the day after it came, and had brought the creature as a sort of peace-offering to the Rector's study. But the pigeon had gone since the rat had been killed. Oh, dear! he supposed he must see the young man for a minute, and then he could pass him on or back to May, who would give him tea and get rid of him.

"Show him in, Jane," he said with a sigh--a sigh of resignation this time, and of sympathy with himself entirely. "Come in, Mr Loder," conscious by the sound of a man's footstep and the closing door that Mr Loder had entered the room. "Will you find yourself a chair and excuse me for a moment? I was just finding a book."

Mr Loder so far availed himself of the invitation as to put his hat upon a chair, evidently preferring himself to stand-a circumstance from which the Rector argued that the interview was not likely to be lengthy, and that he might soon return in peace to that other young man.

"What was it you wanted to ask me, Mr Loder?" he inquired, taking the book from the shelf as he spoke.

"If you please, sir, I came to tell you that I want to marry

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