the shed where the
lamps were kept, to begin his morning's work.

All the world would have been ready to echo the station-master's words
as to the good looks of Percival Elster, known universally amidst his
friends as Val Elster; for these good looks did not lie so much in actual
beauty--which one lauds, and another denies, according to its style--as
in the singularly pleasant expression of countenance; a gift that finds
its weight with all.

He possessed a bright face; his complexion was fair and fresh, his eyes
were blue and smiling, his features were good; and as he walked down
the road, and momentarily lifted his hat to push his light hair--as much
of a golden colour as hair ever is--from his brow, and gave a cordial
"good-day" to those who met him on their way to work--few strangers but
would have given him a second look of admiration. A physiognomist might
have found fault with the face; and, whilst admitting its sweet
expression, would have condemned it for its utter want of resolution.
What of that? The inability to say "no" to any sort of persuasion,
whether for good or ill; in short, a total absence of what may be called
moral courage; had been from his childhood Val Elster's besetting sin.

There was a joke against little Val when he was a boy of seven. Some
playmates had insisted upon his walking into a pond, and standing there.
Poor Val, quite unable to say "no," walked in, and was nearly drowned for
his pains. It had been a joke against him then; how many such "jokes"
could have been brought against him since he grew up, Val himself could
alone tell. As the child had been, so was the man. The scrapes his
irresolution brought him into he did not care to glance at; and whilst
only too well aware of his one lamentable deficiency, he was equally
aware that he was powerless to stand against it.

People, in speaking of this, called it "Elster's Folly." His extreme
sensitiveness as to the feelings of other people, whether equals or
inferiors, was, in a degree, one of the causes of this yielding nature;
and he would almost rather have died than offer any one a personal
offence, an insulting word or look. There are such characters in the
world; none can deny that they are amiable; but, oh, how unfit to battle
with life!

Mr. Elster walked slowly through the village on his way to Hartledon,
whose inmates he would presently take by surprise. It was about twenty
months since he had been there. He had left Hartled