high
that it seemed likely her grandfather would be at small further charges
on her account--a prospect which, however financially sound for a
capitalist of five shillings or under, none the less filled his soul
with grief. Then, one night, when Katty was at her worst, a great gale
came rushing and roaring across the bog, and when the day broke it
discovered the Patmans' brown thatch-slope interrupted by a gaping
crevasse, over which a quick-plashing rain-sheet quivered.

The widow M'Gurk had less spare room than heretofore at her disposal now
that she harboured a co-tenant, with a slight accession of tables and
chairs. Yet she made out a dry corner for the child and her grandfather,
who accepted these quarters in preference to any others, because the
widow, whatever may have been her private views, was prevented by a
mixture of contrariness and magnanimity from joining in the general
denunciation of her former allies, compromising as were the
circumstances under which they had elected to take their departure. In
her society, therefore, he was not obliged to overhear trenchant
criticisms upon his Tom's behaviour, and could dilate, at least
uncontradicted, upon those gifts and graces in the young man, which
recent events had certainly placed in some need of exposition.

Other disquieting voices there were, however, which he could not dodge,
and they spoke louder every day. For his five shillings were melting,
dwindling--had vanished; and Lisconnel, with the best will in the world,
could ill brook a burden of two incapables more laid upon its winter
penury. No word on the subject had reached the old man's outer ears; but
as Katty struggled slowly and fractiously towards convalescence, it
became clearer in his mind that unless something happened, she must,
when well enough to be moved, seek change of air away at the big House.
Perhaps this prospect was now more constantly before him than even the
thought of Tom's filial virtues, as he sat drearily on the bank by the
widow M'Gurk's door. He might often be seen to shake his head
despondently, and then he was probably saying to himself: "Belike he
thought bad of me, keepin' the bit of money unbeknownst."

By that time he had abandoned the joke theory, and fixed his hopes upon
the arrival of a letter to explain the mysterious nocturnal flitting,
and say whither they had betaken themselves after passing through
Duffclane, the furthest point to which the detective forces of th