er now, and it's partly your own
fault, for you _did_ tempt me! Please forgive me before I go!"

"I forgive you, Ruth. It is quite true that I tempted you, and you are
not fitted to bear temptation. But there is no need to bear enmity.
Good-bye!"

He held out his hand again--held it at a distance, and with a formality
which forbade a warmer farewell; and Ruth turned away, downcast and
miserable. Those words, "You are not fitted to bear temptation," seemed
to denote that in his mind there still dwelt a lingering suspicion lest
she might have yielded to her anxiety to look at the will, and had then
lacked the courage for confession. Well, it was all over, and it was
useless to protest. So perish earthly hopes!

Mr Farrell turned towards his remaining niece.

"Well, Mollie, and so you also are resolved to leave me?"

"There was only one alternative, Uncle Bernard, and you refused it. If
you won't help mother, we must lose no time in getting to work. We are
breaking no promise, remember. We said we would stay if she could spare
us, and now the time has come when she needs to have us back."

"You believe you can find work--work which will pay--a child like you,
with the plainest of educations?"

"I am sure of it. I am not going to teach, but I shall be able to do
something. I should be ashamed of myself if I couldn't--a big, strong
creature like me! I am sorry to go--much more sorry than you will
believe! I've been very happy these few weeks."

"I know you have. I have known more than you are aware of, perhaps.
But you will not regret your departure so much, as Jack Melland is
leaving at the same time. He has been your special companion, I think."

The blood flew to Mollie's cheeks under the scrutiny of the sunken eyes,
and, to her consternation, spread even higher and higher, until she was
crimson to the roots of her hair. She tried in vain to answer with
composure, but could only stammer confusedly--

"He has been very nice. I like him the best--better than Mr Druce.
But he decided--we decided,--our reasons for leaving are absolutely
independent of each other, Uncle Bernard."

"I know--I know!"

He turned aside, and remained silent for a few minutes, as if to allow
her time to recover composure, then once more held out his hand in
farewell.

"Well, good-bye, Mollie. We also must agree to forgive and forget!"

Mollie bent over his chair, one hand resting on each arm, the
embarrassment of a