t going in, but that, on parting from Mrs James, she saw the true
object of her morning walk approaching in the person of Mr Walcot. Her
intention had been to meet him in his rounds; and here he was.

If Mrs James had been almost affectionate, what was Mr Walcot? He had
really gone through a great deal of anxiety and suffering lately, and
his heart was very soft and tender just now. He turned about, and
walked with Sophia--walked a mile out into the country by her side, and
neither seemed to have any thought of turning back, till Fanny reminded
her sister how long mamma would have been kept waiting for her to go and
call on the Levitts. The conversation had been in an under voice, all
the way out and back; but, when the parting was to take place, when Mr
Walcot was to leave them in the outskirts of the village, the little
girls heard a few words, which threw some light on what had been
passing. They caught from Sophia, "I must consult my parents;" and as
they hurried homewards with her, they ventured to cast up a glance of
droll meaning into her face, which made her try to help smiling, and to
speak sharply; and then they knew that they had guessed the truth.

Mr Grey made his call upon his cousins that evening. He requested some
private conversation with Hope. His objects were, to learn Hope's
opinion of Mr Walcot, as he had seen him of late under very trying
circumstances; and, if this opinion should be sufficiently favourable to
warrant the proposition, to open the subject of a partnership--a
partnership in which, as was fair, Mr Walcot should have a small share
at present of the income, and a large proportion of the labour--which
was all that the young man, under the effect of his recent terrors, and
of his veneration for Mr Hope, wished or desired. He had declared that
if he could obtain his beloved Sophia, and be permitted to rely on Mr
Hope as his partner and friend, he should be the happiest man alive; and
he was confident that his parents would consider him a most fortunate
youth, to be received, at his outset into life, into such a family as
Mr Grey's, and under the professional guidance of such a practitioner
and such a man as Mr Hope.

There seemed to be every probability of his becoming the happiest man
alive for the Greys were clearly well disposed towards him, and Mr Hope
had nothing to say of him which could hurt their feelings. He repeated
what he had declared to Mr Rowland--that Mr Walcot's e