his point he ceased to regret his letter to Miss Ironsyde, but was
glad that he had written it. He now only felt concerned that the
communication was not penned with some trace of apology for his past
indifference to her wishes. He began to see that his sole hope now lay
with his aunt, and the supreme point of interest centred in her attitude
to the situation.

He despatched a second letter, confirming the first, and expressing
some contrition at his behaviour to her. But this rudeness he declared
to have been the result of peculiarly distressing circumstances; and he
assured her, that when the facts came to her ears, she would find no
difficulty in forgiving him.

Their meeting was fixed for the following evening, and until it had
taken place, Raymond told nobody of what had happened to him. He went to
work next morning, to learn indirectly whether Best had heard of his
dismissal; but it seemed the foreman had not. The circumstance cheered
Raymond; he began to hope that his brother had changed his mind, and the
possibility put him into a sanguine mood at once. He found himself full
of good resolutions; he believed that this might prove the turning
point; he expected that Daniel would arrive at any moment and he was
prepared frankly to express deep regret for his conduct if he did so.
But Daniel did not come.

Sabina constantly crossed Raymond's mind, to be as constantly dismissed
from it. He was aware that something definite must be done; but he
determined not even to consider the situation until he had seen his
aunt. A hopeful mood, for which no cause existed, somehow possessed him
upon this day. For no reason and spun of nothing in the least tangible,
there grew around him an ambient intuition that he was going to get out
of this fix with the help of Jenny Ironsyde. The impression created a
wave of generosity to Sabina. He felt a large magnanimity. He was
prepared to do everything right and reasonable. He felt that his aunt
would approve the line he purposed to take. She was practical, and he
assured himself that she would not consent to pronounce the doom of
marriage upon him.

In this sanguine spirit Raymond went to Bridport and dined at 'The
Tiger' before going to see his aunt at the appointed time. And here
there happened events to upset the level optimism that had ruled him all
day. Raymond had the little back-parlour to himself and Richard Gurd
waited upon him. They spoke of general subjects and then the ol