ls. The Verner arms. Would John paint them out? Likely
not. One badge on the panels of his carriages was as good to John
Massingbird as another. He must have gone to the Herald's College had he
wanted to set up arms on his own account.

And that's how Lionel and his wife went out of Verner's Pride. It seemed
as if Deerham pavement and Deerham windows were lined on purpose to
watch the exodus. The time of their departure had got wind.

"I have done a job that goes again the grain, sir," said Wigham to his
late master, when the carriage had deposited its freight at Deerham
Court, and was about to go back again. "I never thought, sir, to drive
you out of Verner's Pride for the last time."

"I suppose not, Wigham. I thought it as little as you."

"You'll not forget, sir, that I should be glad to serve you, should you
ever have room for me. I'd rather live with you, sir, than with anybody
else in the world."

"Thank you, Wigham. I fear that time will be very far off."

"Or, if my lady should be changing her coachman, sir, perhaps she'd
think of me. It don't seem nateral to me, sir, to drive anybody but a
Verner. Next to yourself, sir, I'd be proud to serve her ladyship."

Lionel, in his private opinion, believed that Lady Verner would soon be
compelled to part with her own coachman, to lay down her carriage.
Failing the income she had derived from his revenues, in addition to her
own, he did not see how she was to keep up many of her present expenses.
He said farewell to Wigham and entered the Court.

Decima had hastened forward to welcome Sibylla. Decima was one who, in
her quiet way, was always trying to make the best of surrounding
circumstances--not for herself, but for others. Let things be ever so
dark, she would contrive to extract out of them some little ray of
brightness. Opposite as they were in person, in disposition she and Jan
were true brother and sister. She came forward to the door, a glad smile
upon her face, and dressed rather more than usual. It was one of her
ways, the unwonted dress, of showing welcome and consideration to
Sibylla.

"You are late, Mrs. Verner," she said, taking her cordially by the hand.
"We have been expecting you some time. Catherine! Therese, see to these
packages."

Lady Verner had actually come out also. She was too essentially the lady
to show anything but strict courtesy to Sibylla, now that she was about
to become an inmate under her roof. What the effort cost her, she