grow with difficulty. It will give me joy to furnish this home for
you, mother, and to make your life one of ease. Besides, I want your
help. Ever since I came here, I've been trying to find the man of whom
you spoke to me; I cannot call him 'Father,' even although he is. If
you came, you could help me, and together we could think of means
whereby the truth could be brought to light. Will you, mother? I know
you say you are comfortable as you are, and that you don't wish to be a
burden to me. You would not be a burden, but you would help me to bear
mine, and so I don't ask you to come for your own sake, but for mine.
I am your son, and I am lonely, and I need my mother."

Three days later he received his mother's reply:

"MY DEAR PAUL (she wrote),--I will come to you. Great fear is in my
heart as I write this, but I can't resist you. You are my own flesh
and blood, and although I have scarcely seen you from a child, you are
the only thing I love. So, Paul, while I do not wish you to spend
money for me, and while I shall be contented with a very little house,
I will come as soon as ever you say you are ready for me."

A new interest came into Paul's life directly he had received this
letter, and without hesitating a second he took the house he had
mentioned. It was a wonder the place had been unoccupied for so long,
because it was one of the best specimens of architecture in the
neighbourhood. Perhaps the reason why it had not been taken was that
it did not accord with the prevailing ideas in relation to houses. Of
course, it was too large for an operative to think of taking, and as
for the ordinary prosperous business man, he loved a more showy house,
with plate-glass windows and high ceilings. This house had been built
before Brunford became a manufacturing town, and was looked upon as
utterly inconvenient and lacking in those characteristics which the
prosperous Lancashire man loves. It was low ceiled; it looked somewhat
dark. Its windows were stone-mullioned, and instead of great
plate-glass windows it had small diamond-leaded lights. And so Paul
was able to get it at a comparatively nominal rent, especially as the
place was in shocking repair. In a few weeks, however, a
transformation had been wrought. The building had been thoroughly
overhauled, and by the wise expenditure of a comparatively small amount
of money, modern conveniences had been installed. The old oak floors
had been thorou