ce suggested what he did not say.

"If you mean that God may soften his heart," replied she, humbly,
"I'm not going to deny God's power--I have need to think of Him,"
she continued, bursting into fresh tears, "for I am a very miserable
woman. Only think! he cast it up against me last night, and said, if
I had not spoilt Dick this never would have happened."

"He hardly knew what he was saying last night. I will go to Mr
Farquhar's directly, and see him; and you had better go home, my dear
Mrs Bradshaw; you may rely upon our doing all that we can."

With some difficulty he persuaded her not to accompany him to Mr
Farquhar's; but he had, indeed, to take her to her own door before he
could convince her that, at present, she could do nothing but wait
the result of the consultation of others.

It was before breakfast, and Mr Farquhar was alone; so Mr Benson had
a quiet opportunity of telling the whole story to the husband before
the wife came down. Mr Farquhar was not much surprised, though
greatly distressed. The general opinion he had always entertained
of Richard's character had predisposed him to fear, even before the
inquiry respecting the Insurance shares. But it was still a shock
when it came, however much it might have been anticipated.

"What can we do?" said Mr Benson, as Mr Farquhar sat gloomily silent.

"That is just what I was asking myself. I think I must see Mr
Bradshaw, and try and bring him a little out of this unmerciful frame
of mind. That must be the first thing. Will you object to accompany
me at once? It seems of particular consequence that we should subdue
his obduracy before the affair gets wind."

"I will go with you willingly. But I believe I rather serve to
irritate Mr Bradshaw; he is reminded of things he has said to me
formerly, and which he thinks he is bound to act up to. However, I
can walk with you to the door, and wait for you (if you'll allow
me) in the street. I want to know how he is to-day, both bodily and
mentally; for indeed, Mr Farquhar, I should not have been surprised
last night if he had dropped down dead, so terrible was his strain
upon himself."

Mr Benson was left at the door as he had desired, while Mr Farquhar
went in.

"Oh, Mr Farquhar, what is the matter?" exclaimed the girls, running
to him. "Mamma sits crying in the old nursery. We believe she has
been there all night. She will not tell us what it is, nor let us be
with her; and papa is locked up in his room, an