d race under paternal management. From a practical point of
view this may have been amiss, but it helped to support me afterward.
And before I began to get weary or rebel against her gentle teaching, in
came her husband; and she stopped at once, because he had never any time
for it.

"My geological hammer!" cried the Major, being in a rush as usual.
"Oh, Miss Castlewood! I did not see you. Pardon me! It is the want of
practice only; so wholly have you deserted us. Fallen into better hands,
of course. Well, how are you? But I need not ask. If ever there was a
young lady who looked well--don't tell me of troubles, or worries, or
nerves--I put up my glasses, and simply say, 'Pretty young ladies
are above all pity!' My hammer, dear Mary; my hammer I must have. The
geological one, you know; we have come on a bit of old Roman work; the
bricklayer's hammers go flat, like lead. I have just one minute and a
half to spare. What fine fellows those Romans were! I will build like
a Roman. See to every bit of it myself, Erema. No contractor's jobs for
me. Mary, you know where to find it."

"Well, dear, I think that you had it last, to get the bung out of the
beer barrel, when the stool broke down in the corner, you know, because
you would--"

"Never mind about that. The drayman made a fool of himself. I proceeded
upon true principles. That fellow knew nothing of leverage."

"Well, dear, of course you understand it best. But he told cook that it
was quite a mercy that you got off without a broken leg; and compared
with that, two gallons of spilled ale--" Mrs. Hockin made off, without
finishing her sentence.

"What a woman she is!" cried the Major; "she takes such a lofty view
of things, and she can always find my tools. Erema, after dinner I
must have a talk with you. There is something going on here--on my
manor--which I can not at all get a clew to, except by connecting you
with it, the Lord knows how. Of course you have nothing to do with it;
but still my life has been so free from mystery that, that--you know
what I mean--"

"That you naturally think I must be at the bottom of every thing
mysterious. Now is there any thing dark about me? Do I not labor to get
at the light? Have I kept from your knowledge any single thing? But you
never cared to go into them."

"It is hardly fair of you to say that. The fact is that you, of your own
accord, have chosen other counselors. Have you heard any more of your
late guardian, Mr. Sh