she sat looking out, and taking her fill of
solitude, which sometimes was her most thorough rest--as she sat at
the attic window looking abroad--she saw their next-door neighbour
carried out to sun himself in his garden. When she first came to
Eccleston, this neighbour and his daughter were often seen taking
long and regular walks; by-and-by his walks became shorter, and the
attentive daughter would convoy him home, and set out afresh to
finish her own. Of late years he had only gone out in the garden
behind his house; but at first he had walked pretty briskly there
by his daughter's help--now he was carried, and placed in a large,
cushioned easy-chair, his head remaining where it was placed against
the pillow, and hardly moving when his kind daughter, who was now
middle-aged, brought him the first roses of the summer. This told
Ruth of the lapse of life and time.

Mr and Mrs Farquhar were constant in their attentions; but there was
no sign of Mr Bradshaw ever forgiving the imposition which had been
practised upon him, and Mr Benson ceased to hope for any renewal of
their intercourse. Still, he thought that he must know of all the
kind attentions which Jemima paid to them, and of the fond regard
which both she and her husband bestowed on Leonard. This latter
feeling even went so far that Mr Farquhar called one day, and with
much diffidence begged Mr Benson to urge Ruth to let him be sent to
school at his (Mr Farquhar's) expense.

Mr Benson was taken by surprise, and hesitated. "I do not know. It
would be a great advantage in some respects; and yet I doubt whether
it would in others. His mother's influence over him is thoroughly
good, and I should fear that any thoughtless allusions to his
peculiar position might touch the raw spot in his mind."

"But he is so unusually clever, it seems a shame not to give him all
the advantages he can have. Besides, does he see much of his mother
now?"

"Hardly a day passes without her coming home to be an hour or so with
him, even at her busiest times; she says it is her best refreshment.
And often, you know, she is disengaged for a week or two, except the
occasional services which she is always rendering to those who need
her. Your offer is very tempting, but there is so decidedly another
view of the question to be considered, that I believe we must refer
it to her."

"With all my heart. Don't hurry her to a decision. Let her weigh it
well. I think she will find the advantages