ceiving the hand of a lady! That was the light in which he looked
upon Mary's first announcement. As to the second announcement he was
absolutely at a loss. There must probably, he thought, have been some
engagement before she left Jamaica. Not the less on that account was
it an act of unpardonable ill-nature on the part of Sir Thomas,--that
telling of Polly Neefit's story to Mary Bonner at such a moment.

He was left alone for a few minutes after Mary's departure, and then
Patience came to him. Would he stay for dinner? Even Patience was
very cold to him. Sir Thomas was fatigued and was lying down, but
would see him, of course, if he wished it. "And where is Clarissa?"
asked Ralph. Patience said that Clarissa was not very well. She also
was lying down. "I see what it is," said Ralph, turning upon her
angrily. "You are, all of you, determined to quarrel with me because
of my uncle's death."

"I do not see why that should make us quarrel," said Patience. "I do
not know that any one has quarrelled with you."

Of course he would not wait for dinner, nor would he have any lunch.
He walked out on to the lawn with something of a bluster in his step,
and stood there for three or four minutes looking up at the house and
speaking to Patience. A young man when he has been rejected by one
of the young ladies of a family has rather a hard time of it till he
gets away. "Well, Patience," he said at last, "make my farewells for
me." And then he was gone.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

HORSELEECHES.

The honour of representing the borough of Percycross in Parliament
was very great, and Sir Thomas, no doubt, did enjoy it after a
fashion; but it was by no means an unalloyed pleasure. While he
was still in bed with his broken arm at the Percy Standard, many
applications for money had been made to him. This man wanted a
sovereign, that man a five-pound-note, and some poor starving wretch
a half-a-crown; and they all came to him with notes from Trigger,
or messages from Spicer or Spiveycomb, to the effect that as the
election was now over, the money ought to be given. The landlord of
the Percy Standard was on such occasions very hard upon him. "It
really will do good, Sir Thomas." "It is wanted, Sir Thomas." "It
will make a good feeling in the town, Sir Thomas, and we don't know
how soon we may have to go to work again." Sir Thomas was too weak in
health to refuse. He gave the sovereigns, the five-pound-notes, and
the half-crowns, and hur