obody will ever stand for Percycross again. It will lose its
members altogether. The thing is settled."

"And you have had all the trouble for nothing, uncle?" Mary asked.

"All for nothing,--and the expense. But that is a very common thing,
and I have no ground of complaint beyond many others."

"It does seem so hard," said Patience.

"So very hard," said Mary. And then they were silent. They had not
come without a purpose; but, as is common with young ladies, they
kept their purpose for the end of the interview.

"Are you coming home, papa?" Patience asked.

"Well, yes; I won't settle any day now, because I am very busy just
at present. But I shall be home soon,--very soon."

"I do so hope you'll stay some time with us, papa."

"My dear, you know--" And then he stopped, having been pounced upon
so suddenly that he had not resolved what excuse he would for the
moment put forward. "I've got my papers and things in such confusion
here at present,--because of Percycross and the trouble I have
had,--that I cannot leave them just now."

"But why not bring the papers with you, papa?"

"My dear, you know I can't."

Then there was another pause. "Papa, I think you ought," said
Patience. "Indeed I do, for Clary's sake,--and ours." But even this
was not the subject which had specially brought them on that morning
to Southampton Buildings.

"What is there wrong with Clary?" asked Sir Thomas.

"There is nothing wrong," said Patience

"What do you mean then?"

"I think it would be so much more comfortable for her that you should
see things as they are going on."

"I declare I don't know what she means. Do you know what she means,
Mary?"

"Clary has not been quite herself lately," said Mary.

"I suppose it's something about that scamp, Ralph Newton," said Sir
Thomas.

"No, indeed, papa; I am sure she does not think of him now." On this
very morning, as the reader may perhaps remember, the scamp had
gone down to Fulham, and from Fulham back to Brompton, in search of
Clarissa; but of the scamp's energy and renewed affections, Patience
as yet knew nothing. "Gregory has been up in London and has been down
at Fulham once or twice. We want him to come again before he goes
back on Saturday, and we thought if you would come home on Thursday,
we could ask him to dinner." Sir Thomas scratched his head, and
fidgeted in his chair. "Their cousin is in London also," continued
Patience.

"The other Ralph; he who has boug