his advantage here and
hereafter." It seemed, however, to be manifest from the manner in
which he expressed his kind wishes, that his hopes and expectations
did not go hand-in-hand together.

"By the by, he desired us to say that he will call here to-morrow; at
about eleven, didn't he say, Fanny?"

"Yes; he wishes to see you about some parish business, I think," said
Mrs. Robarts, looking up for a moment from the anxious discussion in
which she was already engaged with Mrs. Crawley on nursery matters.

"Pray tell him," said Mr. Crawley, "that I shall be happy to see him;
though, perhaps, now that new duties have been thrown upon him, it
will be better that I should visit him at Framley."

"His new duties do not disturb him much as yet," said Lucy. "And his
riding over here will be no trouble to him."

"Yes; there he has the advantage over me. I unfortunately have no
horse." And then Lucy began petting the little boy, and by degrees
slipped a small bag of gingerbread-nuts out of her muff into his
hands. She had not the patience necessary for waiting, as had her
sister-in-law. The boy took the bag, peeped into it, and then looked
up into her face.

"What is that, Bob?" said Mr. Crawley.

"Gingerbread," faltered Bobby, feeling that a sin had been committed,
though, probably, feeling also that he himself could hardly as yet be
accounted as deeply guilty.

"Miss Robarts," said the father, "we are very much obliged to you;
but our children are hardly used to such things."

"I am a lady with a weak mind, Mr. Crawley, and always carry things
of this sort about with me when I go to visit children; so you must
forgive me, and allow your little boy to accept them."

"Oh, certainly. Bob, my child, give the bag to your mamma, and she
will let you and Grace have them, one at a time." And then the bag in
a solemn manner was carried over to their mother, who, taking it from
her son's hands, laid it high on a bookshelf.

"And not one now?" said Lucy Robarts, very piteously. "Don't be so
hard, Mr. Crawley,--not upon them, but upon me. May I not learn
whether they are good of their kind?"

"I am sure they are very good; but I think their mamma will prefer
their being put by for the present." This was very discouraging to
Lucy. If one small bag of gingerbread-nuts created so great a
difficulty, how was she to dispose of the pot of guava jelly and box
of bonbons, which were still in her muff; or how distribute the
packet of