no longer
see to do, was put by for Ruth's swift and nimble fingers. The
occasional copying, or patient writing to dictation, that gave rest
to Mr Benson's weary spine, was done by her with sunny alacrity. But,
most of all, Leonard's heart rejoiced when his mother came home.
Then came the quiet confidences, the tender exchange of love, the
happy walks from which he returned stronger and stronger--going from
strength to strength as his mother led the way. It was well, as they
saw now, that the great shock of the disclosure had taken place when
it did. She, for her part, wondered at her own cowardliness in having
even striven to keep back the truth from her child--the truth that
was so certain to be made clear, sooner or later, and which it was
only owing to God's mercy that she was alive to encounter with him,
and, by so encountering, shield and give him good courage. Moreover,
in her secret heart, she was thankful that all occurred while he
was yet too young to have much curiosity as to his father. If an
unsatisfied feeling of this kind occasionally stole into his mind,
at any rate she never heard any expression of it; for the past was
a sealed book between them. And so, in the bright strength of good
endeavour, the days went on, and grew again to months and years.

Perhaps one little circumstance which occurred during this time had
scarcely external importance enough to be called an event; but in
Mr Benson's mind it took rank as such. One day, about a year after
Richard Bradshaw had ceased to be a partner in his father's house, Mr
Benson encountered Mr Farquhar in the street, and heard from him of
the creditable and respectable manner in which Richard was conducting
himself in Glasgow, where Mr Farquhar had lately been on business.

"I am determined to tell his father of this," said he; "I think his
family are far too obedient to his tacit prohibition of all mention
of Richard's name."

"Tacit prohibition?" inquired Mr Benson.

"Oh! I dare say I use the words in a wrong sense for the correctness
of a scholar; but what I mean is, that he made a point of immediately
leaving the room if Richard's name was mentioned; and did it in so
marked a manner, that by degrees they understood that it was their
father's desire that he should never be alluded to; which was all
very well as long as there was nothing pleasant to be said about him;
but to-night I am going there, and shall take good care he does not
escape me before I