lept. He was no longer solitary, since he had begun to bear the
burdens of others; for no sooner did he begin to work, than he felt that
he worked with her.

CHAPTER 18

That we, whose work commenced in tears,
May see our labours thrive,
Till finished with success, to make
Our drooping hearts revive.
Though he despond that sows his grain,
Yet, doubtless, he shall come
To bind his full-ear'd sheaves, and bring
The joyful harvest home.

--Psalm 126. New Version

Business cares soon began. Arthur consented to allow his brother to lay
his embarrassments before his father. 'Do as you please,' he said;
'but make him understand that I am not asking him to help me out of the
scrape. He does all he can for me, and cannot afford more; or, if
he could, Theodora ought to be thought of first. All I wish is, that
something should be secured to Violet and the children, and that, if I
don't get clear in my lifetime, these debts may not be left for Johnnie.

'That you may rely on,' said John. 'I wish I could help you; but there
were many things at Barbuda that seemed so like fancies of my own, that
I could not ask my father to pay for them, and I have not much at my
disposal just now.'

'It is a good one to hear you apologizing to me!' said Arthur, laughing,
but rather sadly, as John carried off the ominous pocket-book to the
study, hoping to effect great things for his brother; and, as the best
introduction, he began by producing the letter written at Christmas.
Lord Martindale was touched by the commencement, but was presently lost
in surprise on discovering Percy's advance.

'Why could he not have written to me? Did he think I was not ready to
help my own son?'

'It was necessary to act without loss of time.'

'If it were necessary to pay down the sum, why not tell me of it,
instead of letting poor Arthur give him a bond that is worth nothing?'

'I fancy, if he had any notion of regaining Theodora, he was unwilling
you or she should know the extent of the obligation.'

'It is well I do know it. I thought it unsatisfactory to hear of no
profit, after all the talk there has been about his books. I feared it
was an empty trade: but this is something like. Five thousand! He is a
clever fellow after all!'

'I hope he may soon double it,' said John, amused at this way of
estimating Percy's powers.

'Well, it was a friendly act,' continued Lord Martindale. 'A