t or two he wished himself away from her, and was
calculating how he might escape. But then, when he looked down at
her, and saw the softness of her eye, and felt the confidence implied
in the weight of her hand upon his arm, his hard heart was softened,
and he relented.

"It is difficult to tell you what you should do," he said. "At
present nothing seems to be known. He has said nothing for certain."

"But I could understand him," she said, in reply; "I could see by
his face, and I knew by the tone of his voice, that he was almost
certain. I know that he is sure of it. John, I shall be a beggar, an
absolute beggar! I shall have nothing; and those poor children will
be beggars, and their mother. I feel as though I did not know where I
am, or what I am doing."

Then an idea came into his head. If this money was not hers, it was
his. If it was not his, then it was hers. Would it not be well that
they should solve all the difficulty by agreeing then and there to be
man and wife? It was true that since his Rachel's death he had seen
no woman whom he so much coveted to have in his home as this one who
now leaned on his arm. But, as he thought of it, there seemed to be
a romance about such a step which would not befit him. What would
his mother and father say to him if, after all his troubles, he was
at last to marry a woman without a farthing? And then, too, would
she consent to give up all further consideration for her brother's
family? Would she agree to abandon her idea of assisting them, if
ultimately it should turn out that the property was hers? No; there
was certainly a looseness about such a plan which did not befit him;
and, moreover, were he to attempt it, he would probably not succeed.

But something must be done, now at this moment. The guinea at the
Shadrach was gone for ever, and therefore he could devote himself for
the day to his cousin.

"Are you to hear again from Mr Slow?" he said.

"I am to go to him this day week."

"And then it will be decided?"

"John, it is decided now; I am sure of it. I feel that it is all
gone. A careful man like that would never have spoken as he did,
unless he was sure. It will be all yours, John."

"So would have been that which your brother had," said he.

"I suppose so. It is dreadful to think of; very dreadful. I can only
promise that I will spend nothing till it is decided. John, I wish
you would take from me what I have, lest it should go." And she
absolutely h