of the old man's wishes. What can they do at
home--a couple of children like that? They are better out of the way.
At any rate, one of them might have stayed--Mollie, for instance--and
kept things going here till she saw how things worked out. They have no
right to rush off together at a moment's notice!" he cried irritably;
whereat Mrs Thornton smiled involuntarily.

"Isn't it rather a case of people in glass houses, Mr Melland? You
have set a bad example without half the excuse of these dear girls. It
seems to me their plain duty to return to their parents when they are in
trouble, so I have not attempted to dissuade them in any way."

"But--" Jack made a slight but eloquent gesture of the head in Victor's
direction. "It's such a walk over for somebody else! I can't bear the
thought of it. This place ought to belong to one of those girls--it is
theirs by rights. It maddens me to see them throwing away their chance,
for I'm afraid Mr Farrell will never forgive them for going against his
wishes."

"Don't be too sure!" returned Mrs Thornton, nodding her head sagely.
"Mr Farrell is not half so obstinate as he pretends, and however
annoyed he may be to-day he can't help softening when he remembers that
they have put all their own pleasures and self-interests on one side to
return to work and worry for their mother's sake. If he wanted a test
of character, surely nothing could be better than this! I don't think
it will be by any means a `walk over' for Mr Druce. My firm belief is,
that Ruth and Mollie have as good or even a better chance than they had
before."

"I say," cried Jack cordially, "you _are_ a brick!" He turned towards
her with a bright, boyish smile, which took years off his age. "You
don't know how you have cheered me by saying that! I hated to think of
them as being out of the running; but you will rub it in, won't you?
Don't let Druce have it all his own way! Impress upon the old fellow
what you said just now--unselfishness and hard work, and all that sort
of thing. You will know how to do it, so as to make him see that he
ought to admire the girls more for going than staying."

Mrs Thornton smiled indulgently.

"I can try, at least. I'm only sorry that I can't do the same for you.
You have not the excuse of home troubles, and I'm afraid Mr Farrell--"

"Oh, never mind me; I don't count! I have been out of the running from
the first, and it is only through an accident that I have sta