"I have fully made up my mind to resign my living, Thorndyke. I could
not stand up and preach to the villagers of their duties when I myself
have failed so signally in training my own son; nor visit their houses
and presume to lecture them on their shortcomings when my son is a
convicted criminal."

"I quite see that, old friend," the Squire said. "And I had no doubt but
that you would decide on this course. I will try not to persuade you to
change your decision, for I feel that your power of usefulness is at an
end as far as the village is concerned. May I ask what you propose to
do? I can hardly suppose that your savings have been large."

"Two years ago I had some hundreds laid by, but they have dwindled away
to nothing; you can understand how. For a time it was given freely, then
reluctantly; then I declared I would give no more, but he took it all
the same--he knew well enough that I could never prosecute him for
forgery."

"As bad as that, eh?" Thorndyke said sternly. "Well, we won't talk
further of him now; what I propose is that you should take up your abode
at the Hall. I am not satisfied with the school where Mark has been for
the last two years, and I have been hesitating whether to get a private
tutor for him or to send him to one of the public schools. I know that
that would be best, but I could not bring myself to do so. I have some
troubles of my own that but two or three people know of, and now, that
everything is going on smoothly on the estate and in the village, I
often feel dull, and the boy's companionship does me much good; and as
he knows many lads of his own age in the neighborhood now, I think that
he would do just as well at home.

"He will be taking to shooting and hunting before long, and if he is
to have a tutor, there is no one I should like to have better than
yourself. You know all the people, and we could talk comfortably
together of an evening when the house is quiet. Altogether, it will be
an excellent arrangement for me. You would have your own room, and if I
have company you need not join us unless you like. The house would not
seem like itself without you, for you have been associated with it as
long as I can remember. As to your going out into the world at the age
of sixty, it would be little short of madness. There--you need not give
me an answer now," he went on, seeing that the Rector was too broken
down to speak; "but I am sure that when you think it over you will come
to