py with his Rachel. Should he try it again now? The
woman would surely love him when she found that he came to her in her
poverty as he had before come to her in her wealth. He watched her
till she passed out of his sight along the wall leading to Holborn,
and then he made his way to the City through Lincoln's Inn and
Chancery Lane.

Margaret walked straight into Holborn, and over it towards Red Lion
Square. She crossed the line of the omnibuses, feeling that now she
must spend no penny which she could save. She was tired, for she had
already walked much that morning, and the day was close and hot;
but nevertheless she went on quickly, through Bloomsbury Square and
Russell Square, to Gower Street. As she got near to the door her
heart almost failed her; but she went up to it and knocked boldly.
The thing should be done, let the pain of doing it be what it might.

"Laws, Miss Margaret! is that you?" said the maid. "Yes, missus is
at home. She'll see you, of course, but she's hard at work on the
furniture."

Then she went directly up into the drawing-room and there she found
her sister-in-law, with her dress tucked up to her elbows, with a
cloth in her hand, rubbing the chairs.

"What, Margaret! Whoever expected to see you? If we are to let the
rooms, it's as well to have the things tidy, isn't it? Besides, a
person bears it all the better when there's anything to do."

Then Mary Jane, the eldest daughter, came in from the bedroom behind
the drawing-room, similarly armed for work.

Margaret sat down wearily upon the sofa, having muttered some word
in answer to Mrs Tom's apology for having been found at work so soon
after her husband's death.

"Sarah," she said, "I have come to you to-day because I had something
to say to you about business."

"Oh, to be sure! I never thought for a moment you had come for
pleasure, or out of civility, as it might be. Of course I didn't
expect that when I saw you."

"Sarah, will you come upstairs with me into your own room?"

"Upstairs, Margaret? Oh yes, if you please. We shall be down
directly, my dear, and I dare say Margaret will stay to tea. We tea
early, because, since you went, we have dined at one."

Then Mrs Tom led the way up to the room in which Margaret had watched
by her dying brother's bed-side.

"I'm come in here," said Mrs Tom, again apologising, "because the
children had to come out of the room behind the drawing-room. Miss
Colza is staying with us, and she a