out Miss Leonora's glass of claret as he spoke.

Nobody had ever before seen the strong-minded woman in so much
agitation. "Frank knows what my feelings are," she said, abruptly. "I
have a great respect for himself, but I have no confidence in his
principles. I--I have explained my ideas about Church patronage--"

But here the Squire broke in. "I always said, sir," said the old man,
with an unsteady voice, "that if I ever lived to see a thing or two
amended that was undoubtedly objectionable, your brother Jack's advice
would be invaluable to the family as a--as a man of the world. I have
nothing to say against clergymen, sir," continued the Squire, without
it being apparent whom he was addressing, "but I have always expressed
my conviction of--of the value of your brother Jack's advice as--as a
man of the world."

This speech had a wonderful effect upon the assembled family, but most
of all upon the son thus commended, who lost all his ease and
composure as his father spoke, and turned his head stiffly to one
side, as if afraid to meet the Squire's eyes, which indeed were not
seeking his, but were fixed upon the table, as was natural,
considering the state of emotion in which Mr Wentworth was. As for
Jack, when he had steadied himself a little, he got up from his seat
and tried to laugh, though the effort was far from being a successful
one.

"Even my father applauds me, you see, because I am a scamp and don't
deserve it," he said, with a voice which was partially choked.
"Good-bye, sir; I am going away."

The Squire rose too, with the hazy bewildered look of which his other
children were afraid.

"Good-bye, sir," said the old man, and then made a pause before he
held out his hand. "You'll not forget what I've said, Jack," he added,
with a little haste. "It's true enough, though I haven't that
confidence in you that--that I might have had. I am getting old, and I
have had two attacks, sir," said Mr Wentworth, with dignity; "and
anyhow, I can't live for ever. Your brothers can make their own way in
the world, but I haven't saved all that I could have wished. When I am
gone, Jack, be just to the girls and the little children," said the
Squire; and with that took his son's hand and grasped it hard, and
looked his heir full in the face.

Jack Wentworth was not prepared for any such appeal; he was still less
prepared to discover the unexpected and inevitable sequence with which
one good sentiment leads to another. H